Catalog Number
|
Catalog Number |
CAS 0104-0007 | |
| Category | Weaponry | |
| Object Name | Harpoon | |
| Culture | Native Alaskan | |
| Global Region | North America | |
| Country | USA | |
| State/Prov./Dist. | Alaska | |
| County | unknown | |
| Other Geographic Data | unknown | |
| Maker's Name | Unknown | |
| Date of Manufacture | late 1800s | |
| Collection Name | N/A | |
| Materials | Wood; Bone; Leather; Cordage | |
| Description | Harpoon consisting of a long cylindrical wooden shaft whose maximum diameter is near its midpoint, tapering gradually toward the blunt proximal end and even more slightly toward the distal end which is carved and fitted with a heavy cylindrical bone socket; Socket is secured to shaft with at least one baleen or bone peg and coil wrapping of Native (?) cordage, the latter stretched along approx. 1/3 of length of shaft where it terminates in additional coil wraps around shaft; Small wooden finger hold is fitted into side of shaft at terminus of cordage wrapping; Bone socket at distal end expands in diameter toward its distal end before narrowing, and a large diameter depression is carved into its distal end and plugged with a wooden peg, which in turn is also carved with a small depression to receive the pointed proximal end of an elongated detachable bone point with a straight shaft and series of downward pointed lateral barbs; Point is secured to shaft by leather thong which is wrapped around upper portion of shaft, allowing it to unwind as a wounded animal tries to escape; Wooden shaft appears to have been painted white. | |
| Dimensions (cm) | Width = 4.5, Max Diam = 3.5, Length = 216.6 | |