Art, Prehistoric; Folk literature -- History and criticism
Fig. 231 is one of a pair of leggings embroidered with quills on
a piece of leather. The design, which represents the sea-monster
described in fig. 183, must also be explained as a representation of
the animal split along its lower side, and flattened. In the lower
portion of the legging the two profiles are seen, which are joined on a
level with the eyes, while the two mouths are separated. The nostrils
are shown in the small triangle below the line connecting the two
eyes. Owing to the shape of the legging, the arms are not attached to
the body, but to the upper part of the head. They appear at the right
and left borders of the legging, and are turned inward along the
lower jaws, the three-toed paws touching the lower border. The fins,
which are supposed to grow out of the upper part of the arms, adjoin
the elbows, and are turned upward. Another pair of fins, which do not
appear in most representations of this monster, are attached to the
upper part of the back, and form the two flaps to the right and left
of the upper margin. On the back we see a series of circles, which
probably represent the dorsal fin. The tail occupies the centre of the
upper margin. The smaller ornaments in the outside corners of the head,
adjoining the mouth, probably represent the gills.
[Illustration: Fig. 232. Painting representing a dog-fish, Haida.]
[Illustration: Fig. 233. Slate dish design representing a shark, Haida.]
In the following figures we find a new cut applied. Figs. 232 and 233
represent the shark. I explained, when discussing the symbols of the
shark, that in the front view of the animal the symbols are shown to
best advantage. For this reason side views of the face of the shark are
avoided, and in representing the whole animal a cut is made from the
back to the lower side, and the two sides are unfolded, leaving the
head in front view.
The painting (fig. 232) has been made in this manner, the two halves
of the body being entirely separated from each other, and folded to
the right and to the left. The heterocerc tail is cut in halves, and
is shown at each end turned downward. The pectoral fins are unduly
enlarged, in order to fill the vacant space under the head.
The shark which is shown in fig. 233 is treated in a slightly different
manner. Again the head is left intact. The cut is made from back to
chest, but the two halves of the animal are not separated. They cohere
at the chest, and are unfolded in this manner, so that the pectoral
fins and dorsal fins appear to the right and left of the body. The
heterocerc tail is not clearly indicated in this specimen.
[Illustration: Fig. 234. Painting on edge of a blanket representing a
killer-whale, Tlingit.]
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