Art, Prehistoric; Folk literature -- History and criticism
In fig. 182 three berry spoons are shown which, according to Charles
Edensaw, represent the bear. Fig. 182 _a_ is quite clear. At the end
of the spoon is shown the head with an enormous ear (1), the size of
which is determined by the form of the spoon. Two teeth are indicated
by red curves (2). Under the mouth is a broad black curve, the
foreleg (3), and to the right of it (4) the fore-paw. The lowest part
represents the hindlegs. Fig. 182 _b_ is not so clear. The face in the
middle is the hip joint, under it, to the right, the thigh, to the left
the paw with long claws. Edensaw considered the design over the hip
joint as the tail, the end as the head, but I doubt the correctness
of this interpretation. The end of the spoon looks more like the head
of a sea-monster and the design over the hip joint like the fin. Fig.
182 _c_ was also called a bear by the same informant, while 182 _d_
was called a killer-whale. I place these side by side, because the
formal agreement of the lower part is striking. The right half of the
base of 182 _c_ has the characteristic form of the dorsal fin of the
killer-whale and corresponds to an analagous design in fig. 182 _d_.
In both cases the inverted eye above the “fin” would be the joint. The
rest of the design consists of eye and flipper elements that are not
readily recognized. In 182 _d_ the flat curves in the middle may be the
body; in front to the left the fin, and over it eye and mouth. In 182
_c_ the elements are still less clear. According to Edensaw there is no
head, only a tail at the upper end of the spoon.
There are quite a number of representations of the sea-monster,
the form of which is partly that of a bear and partly that of a
killer-whale. In a number of cases the monster has a bear’s head (fig.
183) and body, but fins are attached to the elbows. In other cases the
head is that of a killer-whale and the body that of a bear. In this
form it appears on many horn spoon handles (fig. 184). In still other
cases the characteristics of bear and killer-whale are intermingled in
other ways.
The frog is characterized by a wide toothless mouth, a flat nose, and
lack of a tail.
The following series (figs. 185-188) are representations of the
dogfish or shark. When the whole body of this animal is represented,
it is characterized by a heterocerc tail, a large mouth, the corners
of which are drawn downward, a series of curved lines on each cheek
which represent the gills, and a high tapering forehead imitating the
inferior position of the mouth. It is often decorated with two circles
(the nostrils), and a series of curved lines (wrinkles) similar to the
gill lines on the cheeks.
[Illustration: Fig. 183. Carving representing a sea-monster, Tlingit.]
[Illustration: Fig. 184. Carvings from handles of spoons made of
mountain-goat horn representing a sea-monster.]
[Illustration: Fig. 185. Part of totem pole carved in slate
representing shark surmounted by an eagle, Haida.]
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