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Image Not Available for Whale Harpoon and lanyard
Whale Harpoon and lanyard
Image Not Available for Whale Harpoon and lanyard

Whale Harpoon and lanyard

Dateca. 1880
Maker Makah
Label TextHarpoon points with heavy yew wood shafts were attached to long cedar rope lines holding sealskin floats. As the harpoon penetrated the breaching whale behind the left flipper, the floats unfurled, causing resistance to the struggling whale. Thus weakened, it would be dispatched with lance thrusts. Originally harpoon blades were made from sharpened mussel shells, but sea mammal hunters were quick to adopt metal points.
Object number2006.25
Credit LineGift of John and Grace Putnam
DimensionsLength: 300in. (762cm) Width: 3in. (7.6cm)
MediumIron point, elk antler, spruce pitch, fiber cord
Makah
ca. 1920
Object number: 2006.23
Harpoon point
Native American, Kwakwaka'wakw
Object number: 91.1.92
Ka'heit'am (Club)
First Nations, Nuu-chah-nulth, Hesquiat
before 1778
Object number: 91.1.21
Gabra
Object number: 81.17.1107
Salish
late 19th century
Object number: 2024.19.130
Plaited Cedar Bark Harpoon Bag
Makah
ca. 1900
Object number: 91.30
Naxw (Halibut hook)
Native American
ca. 1880
Object number: 91.1.126
Photo: Casey Kaplan Gallery
Brian Jungen
2011
Object number: 2014.34
Pendant or charm (animal head-deer)
Maya
550-950
Object number: 99.78
Shaman's Charm
Native American
ca. 1880
Object number: 91.1.88