Chilkat Robe - Diving Whale
Date1899
Mediummammal skin, goat hair, cedar bark, cotton, mammal wool
DimensionsOther: 163 × 85 cm (64 3/16 × 33 7/16 in.)
ClassificationsCeremonial Objects
Paper Field ReferencesCMH VII-B-1101
Object numberHRC 01101
Descriptionpentagonal in shape with lateral edges perpendicular to upper edge and two lower edges forming wide shallow v. warp strands are made of two single s twist strands of undyed mountain goat wool, each with a core of cedar bark, plied together to form z twist yarn. weft strands are made of light blue commercial yarn and two ply z twist mountain goat wool either left natural white or dyed black, dark brown and yellow. weaving technique is two strand weft twinning over alternate warp pairs in which two weft strands are twisted around paired warp strands. three strtand braiding is used to outline design elements and cover joins in weft; each colour field is outlined by single braid of same colour with strands inserted into warp when s twist braid travels horizontally and into weft for vertical lines. warp consists of warp strands doubled over heading cord of z twist fibre cord, each half forming single warp end. heading along upper edge of blanket consists of single line of white two strand weft twining below heading cord, line of white three strand braiding, approximately 1cm of white twining, and second line of braiding. first line of braiding continues around perimeter of blanket. side braids are formed from warp strands at each end of blanket braided diagonally in over one under two twill pattern, producing plait folded in half with rows of certical ridges on outside and rolled edges. at centre fold, each braid is joined to blanket by drawstring join in which cord of commercial twine is inserted vertically between warps of braid and blankett and braiding and twining are worked around this drawstring. side braid is finished at bottom by brown and yellow tie off in checker pattern, below which warp ends form fringe. below heading there is brown border, 5 to 5.5cm wide, extending around perimter of blanket. this is joined to inner yellow border 5 to 5cm wide by interlock joins wherein ends of weft rows of different colours are intertwined, with joins covered by lines of bronw and white braiding. both borders are worked in two strand twining from edges to centre with two lazy line or diagonal joines in each upper and lower border. yellow border is joined to central design field by drastring joins, with joins covered by brown and white braiding. design fields consists of symmetrical arrangement of totemic motifs in wide central panel and two lateral panels, with primary formlines in black or brown and yellow and blue inner elements. centre is occupied by yellow masked rectangular fface shape with yellow eye ovoid containg brown eyelid line and inner ovoid surmounted yellow s shape and blue eyebrow motif on each side. above face shape there is yellow and blue red winged fliccker feather motif consisting of paired squared u shapes. on either side there is yellow ovoid containg salmon trouts head eye ovoid, surmounted by paired u shapes or eyebrow motif. below face shape there is another flicker ffeather motif flanked by yellow ovoids with eyelid line surrounding almon trouts head eye ovoid. lower section of panel contains yellow flicker feather motifs formed by paired u and split u shapes, blue curved bands and circular joint designs. lateral panels each contain yellow eye ovoid with black eyelid line and inner ovoids, circular joint motifs and several flicker feather motifs consisting of u, paired u and split u shapes. upper portion of each lateral panel is worked in black. drastrings are used to join design fields and at edges of smaller elements. interlock joins are also used at edges of smaller elements and diagonal joins, wherein each weft row end of one colour retreats one warp end to form diagonal line, are use to form curves. vertical two strand twining is used in vertical bands between design fields and in edging around smaller elements. below lower black border there is footing across blankets lower edge consisting of line of white braiding and 1cm of white twining terminating at line of white braiding around perimeter. warp of great fring consists of unwoven lower warp ends. below footing strands are secured at top of fringe by two lines of two strand twining approximately 2cm apart; first row consists of one brown and one white or yellow strand and second of one white and one yellow strand at sinister side and white, yellow, brown and blues trands at dexter side. floating fringe is made of white weft yarns doubled and attached along lower edge of footing by ro of white twining. side fringes are attached between side braids and are made of white weft yarns doubled and knotted around strand of wool with cedar bark core and secured to front braid by lacing of white cotton thread. approximately 59cm from each end, tie formed by length of brown cotton fabric doubled and stitched with brown thread is attached to upper edge of black; sinister tie is broken and has been knotted together, dexter tie is also broken and length of red printed fabric has been tied to remainder.On View
Not on viewCollections
1895-1901
1919
c. 1878
1895-1901
1895-1901
1895-1901