Dancing Mask And Headdress Item Number: E20866-0 from the National Museum of Natural History

Notes

FROM CARD: "LOAN: THE TEXTILE MUSEUM, 4/30/65." FROM 19TH OR EARLY 20TH CENTURY EXHIBIT LABEL WITH CARD: "HEAD-DRESS.---THE FRONT PART, WORN OVER FOREHEAD, IS OF WOOD ELABORATELY CARVED AND PAINTED TO REPRESENT HEAD AND FRONT PAWS OF A BEAR. THE EYEBROWS, PUPILS, NOSE, LIPS, AND PROJECTING TONGUE ARE OF COPPER. THE TEETH ARE ROWS OF SMALL WHITE SHELLS. ATTACHED TO BACK IS A FRAMEWORK OR BASKET TO FIT HEAD OF WEARER. BEHIND ARE PENDANT STRIPS OF CEDAR ROPE AND PADDLE-SHAPED STRIPS OF WOOD, WHICH CLASH TOGETHER WHEN MOVED. WORN IN DANCING BY HAIDAH INDIANS, PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND. LENGTH ON TOP, 1 FOOT. HEIGHT IN FRONT, 8 INCHES. LENGTH BEHIND, 2 FEET. PRINCE OF WALES ARCHIPELAGO, 1876. 20,866." SEE PROCESSING LAB ACCESSION FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. See p. 206-207 in Wright, Robin Kathleen. 2001. Northern Haida master carvers. Seattle: University of Washington Press. Wright identifies this object as having been collected by James G. Swan from Duncan ginaawaan at Klinkwan in 1875.