May be Sitka Tlingit?: it is identified as collected in Sitka; and also see accession history re the basket part of this accession being from the "Sitka-Kwahn."

FROM CARD: "OWL."Provenience note: Anthropology catalogue ledger book lists a locality of Alaska for E67931 - 68019. Catalogue cards list a locality of Sitka. Alaska. It is unclear which is correct, though it is probable that the collection was purchased in Sitka.

Provenience note: Anthropology catalogue ledger book lists a locality of Alaska for E67931 - 68019. Catalogue cards list a locality of Sitka. Alaska. It is unclear which is correct, though it is probable that the collection was purchased in Sitka.

For small illustration see Hat 114, p. 221 in Glinsmann, Dawn. 2006. Northern Northwest Coast spruce root hats. Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. The spiral start of this hat is also illustrated as Fig. 48, p. 85 in Glinsmann. She notes on p. 85: "... the weft is laid across the spoke, wrapped around the back and twisted, brought to the working surface, and twined, resulting in a spiral effect." Glinsmann also notes on p. 54-55 that this hat appears to be a work hat, of the type Frances Paul indicates "was woven of the coarsest pieces of unpolished root and undecorated save for a coating of paint as a preservative." She notes Anthropology's hat was painted green, like other work hats of this type she examined, and comments that: "Emmons asserts that the paint assists in the water repellency of this [type of] hat, which was undoubtedly worn in the worst weather (Emmons 1993, 256.) ... De Laguna states that among the Yakutat Tlingit, "In rainy weather, a conical basketry hat ... woven of spruce roots was worn. This had a sloping brim and was tied under the chin but was not otherwise described" (de Laguna 1972, 436)."

At one time, a paper label with the word "fish" written on it was glued to the underside of this object. It has been removed by Anthropology Conservation in 2008 prior to the artifact going on exhibit.This object is on loan to the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, from 2010 through 2027.Source of the information below: Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center Alaska Native Collections: Sharing Knowledge website, by Aron Crowell, entry on this artifact http://alaska.si.edu/record.asp?id=614, retrieved 3-31-2012: Charm, Tlingit. Red ocher paint fills the engraved lines of this stone fish charm. Although its history is unknown, it may be a “rubbing amulet” used to scratch or massage the mouth, body, and head. In many situations it was considered dangerous to touch the body directly. For example, when hostages (called "deer") were exchanged to end conflicts they could not scratch themselves with their fingernails without “agitating more war,” as Yakutat Elders told anthropologist Frederica De Laguna in the 1950s. A stone rubbed against the mouth prevented trouble that could be caused by speech.