Description

Model of a shaman's wooden dagger, carved and painted with two bird heads facing in opposite directions and feathers on the top. [CAK 30/04/2009]

Publications History

Referred to on p. 8 of 'Haida Art in the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, and the Rev. Charles Harrison', by June Bedford, in European Review of Native American Studies, Vol. XII, no. 2 (1998), pp. 1-10. [JC 16 4 1999]

Longer Description

Model of a shaman's wooden dagger, carved and painted with two bird heads facing in opposite directions and feathers on the top. The dagger is carved from a single piece of wood, perhaps cedar. Each end is carved in the shape of a birds head with a long beak. A groove distinguishes the upper beak from the lower beak on each bird. Round circles have been shallowly carved to outline the pupils. These were likely made with a compass as a small mark appears in the very centre of each circle. One of the birds has an upper beak painted black and a lower beak painted brick red. This bird has brick red paint around the eye area and on the top of the head, while the eye is outlined in black and the pupil is painted brick red. There are unpainted sections around the eye and beak as well. A whitish-grey feather has been stuck into the top of the bird's head by the quill and extends across the central portion of the dagger. The centre of the dagger is round and joins the two birds at the back of their beaks. It is unpainted (except for a description added by the museum). The other bird is painted brick red at the lower back of its head, the top of its head, on the lower beak and pupils. The remainder of the head and upper beak is painted black except for a small unpainted half circle on each side of the beak. A similar whitish-grey feather is attached by the quill to the top of the head and extends over the central portion of the dagger. [CAK 30/04/2009]

Research Notes

The following information comes from Haida delegates who worked with the museum's collection in September 2009 as part of the project “Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge”:
This model dagger was viewed alongside other shamanic material on Friday Sept 11, 2009. No information from delegates was recorded for this object. There was however a request that shamanic material not be on display. [CAK 06/04/2010]

Primary Documentation

Accession book entry (for 1891.49.19 and .20): 'From Rev. Ch. Harrison, 80 Halton Rd, Canonbury Sq. N. Collection of Haida objects collected by him.... - [1 of] 2 [models of] ceremonial daggers. £45. [Purchase price includes 1891.49.1-110]

No additional information on catalogue cards. [JC 4 9 1996]

Written on object - MODEL OF DOUBLE DAGGER USED BY MEDICINE MEN IN CASTING OUT EVIL SPIRITS FROM THE SICK: MADE BY DR KOOTAY, HAIDA. C. HARRISON COLLN (MS. No 14) PURCHASED 1891. [CAK 30/04/2009]

Old Pitt Rivers Museum display label [relating to either 1891.49.19 or 1891.49.20] [now in Related Documents File] - CANADA, QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS, HAIDA. Model of double dagger used by medicine man when casting out evil spirits from the sick. Made by Dr. Kootay. Purch. from C. Harrison, 1891. [MdeA 11/12/2007]

Related Documents File - The Haida Project Related Documents File contains video of research sessions and interviews with Haida delegates from September 2009 as part of the project ‘Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge'. It also includes post-visit communications that discuss object provenance. For extensive photographic, video, and textual records documenting the Haida research visit as a whole, including but not limited to preparations of objects for handling, travel logistics, British Museum participation, transcribed notes from research sessions and associated public events held at PRM, see the Haida Project Digital Archive, stored with the Accessions Registers. Original hand-written notes taken during research sessions have been accessioned into the Manuscripts collection, in addition to select other materials. [CAK 02/06/2010]