Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 0425-0014   CAS 0425-0014; Purse
Category Accessories/Ornaments; Carvings
Object Name Purse
Culture Yurok
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. California
County Humboldt, Del Norte
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. early 1900s
Collection Name N/A
Materials Elk antler
Description Purse made of hollowed-out elk antler with rectangular opening in center; Body incised and inked with two rows of inverted triangles on either side of opening, one set contains ten triangles per row, the other set shows nine triangles above a row of ten; Base incised and inked with diamond in center and four triangles extending from the diamond to the ends of the purse in both length-wise directions; Ends of purse incised and inked with three bands on each end; Between the outer and middle bands are chevrons with dots on the inner side; Between the middle and inner bands are dots; One end has eleven lines above the outer band; The other end has what look like three N’s strung together, with the middle N created out of the stems of the first and last N; Additionally, this end has incised and inked lines within three of the diamonds created between the outer band and the chevrons; Ends are thicker than body; Residue of blue pigment still present in the bands around the ends; Lid missing, but presumably would have consisted of a thin, rectangular section, secured to purse by one to three leather bands at each end; All but one band is missing.
Dimensions (cm) Max Diam = 12.6, Length = 13.8