Naxw (Halibut hook)

Dateca. 1880

Label TextThis halibut hook was made of two pieces of wood—yew for the sculpted piece and yellow cedar for the piece with the barb. These shaped parts and the bone or iron barb are bound together with split spruce root. Halibut hooks of this type were usually sculpted with human, animal or halibut figures which were thought to magically aid in the luring of fish to the hook.

Object number91.1.126

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, The Box of Daylight, September 15, 1983 - January 8, 1984Published ReferencesThe Spirit Within: Northwest Coast Native Art from the John H. Hauberg Collection, Seattle Art Museum, 1995, pg. 90

Credit LineGift of John H. Hauberg

Dimensions5 x 1 3/4 in. (12.7 x 4.45 cm) L.: 11 1/8 in.

MediumYew wood, yellow cedar wood, iron, and spruce root