Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 0005-0018   CAS 0005-0018; Carving (man with 4 walruses and 2 polar bears)
Category Carvings
Object Name Carving (man with 4 walruses and 2 polar bears)
Culture Native Alaskan
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. Alaska
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. early 1900s
Collection Name Liebes Collection (Native Alaskan)
Materials Ivory: walrus tusk; Baleen
Description Carving made from section of walrus tusk that has been flattened on both upper and lower surface and carved on one end to depict a group of three adult and one infant walrus on an ice pack, with two polar bears approaching them from the opposite end; Both bear figures have been carved separately and then been attached with pegs and/or glue to the surface of the tusk; First bear is standing, second bear is seated on its haunches; Situated between the walruses and the bears is a man lying prostrate on his stomach supported by an ice pack; The man faces the bears and his left hand is stretched out touching a duck that is lying on its side; Walruses’ eyes and tips of their flippers and bears’ eyes, noses, and toes are all inlaid with bits of baleen.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 5.4, Width = 4.6, Length = 31.0