This small container appears to be formed from a mammalian leg bone (probably Caribou), and capped at each end with wood (probably spruce drift wood) plugs. The bone is decorated with a series of engravings. These include (in sequence) three swimming ducks; a crude bear; a spouting whale; three caribou; a fish?; a wavy line; 3 crude Xs; a man holding a line leading to a sled, next to a tupek; and ending with a ribbon enclosing six groups of four vertical lines. The container is further decorated with carved circumferential grooves below and above the ends. These grooves have further diagonal engraved lines reaching to the top and bottom rims. The wood top to the container can be pulled shut with a sinew line that emerges through a hole in the container below its rim. This container likely was made to hold snuff or tobacco, or perhaps fungus ashes. It does not seen to have been used. Fine
PRICE - $520.00