Seal Drag
uqsiutaq “seal drag”
seal: 8cm x 2cm x 2.3cm, cord: 25cm
Ivory, animal skin cord
Cape Nome, Alaska (Iñupiaq), c.1889
Collector: E. W. Nelson
Museum ID: NEL.C1.draf.0130
This object is termed a seal drag because it was used by hunters to pull the seals that they had harvested back to their village. A hunter would create a hole near the jaw of the animal and the strap of the drag would be pulled through and looped over the end piece. Then the hunter would tie a longer rope to the drag, allowing the carcass to be pulled either manually or by sled. The end piece is made of ivory and depicts a seal, which was a popular Iñupiaq charm that was fastened to both hunting tools and clothing. It was believed that the charm would aid in the hunt, bringing seals to the hunters and bringing those who wore it luck.