"Growing Goodness": An Alaska Native Collection at Oberlin CollegeMain MenuMission Statement and Project ContributorsObject GalleryClick on the object title for more informationLife HistoryMapYup'ik Materials and SubsistenceIntroduction page for the Raw Materials and Subsistence chapterVirtual 3D Exhibit
Object 4
12019-12-11T17:34:16+00:00Alaina Helm707f7d845b33dec30c77d3f91278c0fd43eb2f4c111Here’s what Dr. Rosemary Ahtuangaruak has to say!plain2019-12-11T17:34:16+00:00Alaina Helm707f7d845b33dec30c77d3f91278c0fd43eb2f4c
14.5 cm long x 5 cm wide x 11 cm high Fish skin, bearded seal skin
Cape Darby, Alaska (Yup’ik), c. 1880 Collector: E. W. Nelson Museum ID: NEL.C1.df.0135
This small pouch is made from fish skins (likely pike or salmon due to the size and shape of the scales) which are connected by strips of bearded seal skin. Bearded seal skin is a very tough material, so the person who made the bag probably had both decoration and durability in mind when incorporating it. Colored decorative elements on one side may indicate the front of the bag versus the back. The original Smithsonian tag describes that the bag was used to store spear points.