Native American, Pacific Northwest Coast, United States or Canada, Tlingit or Haida people, ca. mid-20th century CE. A marine mammal bone amulet and pendant in the form of a stylized bear devouring a human figure, with a second figure along the stomach. The bear's eye and limbs are inlaid with panels of nacre shell and the spine just behind the bear's head is pierced for suspension. Shamans wore protective pendants or charms such as this piece that were imbued with power from sacred animals and ancestral emblems during healing rituals. The charm would hold and protect the ill person's soul and the bear or other animals would guide their spirit through supernatural realms. Size: 6.75" L x 1.5" W (17.1 cm x 3.8 cm)
For a similar example of this type of amulet please see the American Museum of Natural History Division of Anthropology's website, catalog #: E/639 and the Minneapolis Institute of Art's website, accession number: 2004.110.1.
This is an ESA antique exempt piece of ivory and cannot be sold internationally or to anyone residing in the states of California, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington. We guarantee that the piece is over 100 years old.
Provenance: private Brevard, North Carolina, USA collection
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#171075
Condition
Stable hairline fissure on verso of posterior tip. Blue pen ink on surface of rear foot. Dark mineral deposits and patina in recessed areas. Overall excellent condition.