Images courtesy of the Haida Gwaii Museum. Provided for research purposes only. Other uses require permission: 250-559-4643 adminassistant@haidagwaiimuseum.ca

Killer Whale

Datec. 1898

Mediumwood, metal, paint

DimensionsOther: 23 × 12.5 × 57 cm (9 1/16 × 4 15/16 × 22 7/16 in.)

ClassificationsCeremonial Objects

Terms

Paper Field ReferencesCMH VII-B-111

Object numberHRC 00111

Descriptioncarved from a single piece of gold coloured wood in the form of a killer whale. whale's head, body, tail and fins are painted black with some details painted red. under side of whale stained a darker brown except area beneath head which is natural wood. rounded head has largge circular unpainted eye sockets in negative relief, circular eyelid and iris in relief separated by an incised line with a circular concavity at centre of iris, angular snout with flattened ridge along centre and large roughly oval nostrils painted red, and large mouth wwith wide jaws painted red and space between jaws left unpainted. a triangular motif painted reed is carved in high relief along side of head at base. pectoral fin extending along sides of body from back of head formed by nested u forms carved in high relief separated by incised lines with inner most u form painted red with triangula slit carrved in outer edge and central concave u form left unpainted. outermost u form extends into ovoid form along lower edge of body. inner edge of ovoid delineated by an incised line and ovoid encloses an ovoid motif in rleeif at centre surrounded by an unpainted circular concavity. dorsal fin (13cm x 6.5cm) with red painted band below centre was carved from a separate piece of wood, inserted in back of whale 4cm from back of head and secured by a round headed metal rivet nailed through each side of body approx. 1.3cm below fin. vertical line roughly incised behind sinister pectoral fin. rough crescent and outline by incised lines are carved in relief on upper part of symmetrical tail flakes. inner ovoids within ovoids are carvved in relief, outlined by incised line and are surrounded by unpainted ovoid in negative relief. a narrow band is carved in relief around outer edges of flukes. space below ovoids paintted red with roughly triangular motif in outer corners delineated by incised lines. edge of dexter fluke is broken off. small piece off brown paper marked with "A.W." ( and an indistinguishable letter or number) is adhered to belly of whale. the number "3090" is marked in red ink on dexter side of snout.

On View

Not on view

Collections