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Killer Whale Forehead Mask
Object Number 05-7-10/65454
Display Title Killer Whale Forehead Mask
Descriptions
Object Description Carved wooden mask representing the full shape of a killer whale (or "orca" - Orcinus orca) with wolf crest on tail. Worn in dance. The body is hollowed out so that it can be worn on the head. The fluked tail is rigged to the whale's body with lengths of sinew. The tall, upright dorsal fin pierced with a round hole is also rigged to the whale's back and tail with sinew. Thus, both the flukes and the dorsal fin are hinged to its body and can be articulated. Undulating movements that simulate a whale leaping from the water can be controlled from within the mask by means of strings. The elongated head, the smoothly slim snout and the rather large elongated nostrils rimmed with copper are features that are common to Tsimshian objects depicting killer whales. The long mouth [see Object Description text entry for extended description]
Inventory Description Killer-whale mask, carved wood with copper inlay, hair, teeth
Classification
  • Mask
Department Ethnographic
Culture
  • Kluckwan
  • Dakleweidi
  • Tsimshian
  • Angoon
  • Bella Bella
Geography/Provenience/Site Name
North America
Additional Geographic Terms Northwest Coast
Materials Copper, Pigment, Wood, Sea lion tooth, Animal hair, Sinew, Pigment
Dimensions Overall: 88 x 62.5 x 25.5 cm (34 5/8 x 24 5/8 x 10 1/16 in.)
Quantity 1
Label on object 05-7-10/65454
Provenance
Collector Grace A. Nicholson
Donor Mr. Lewis Hobart Farlow (01/01/1905)

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