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Pitt Rivers Museum

1884.20.4

Narwhal tusk, undulating shaft of narwhal tusk with cut and cleaned end, used as a spear. [VS [OPS move] 6/9/2018]


1884.20.4

Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford

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Collection type
Object
Description
Narwhal tusk, undulating shaft of narwhal tusk with cut and cleaned end, used as a spear. [VS [OPS move] 6/9/2018]
Geographical reference
Arctic
Cultural groups
Inuit (Greenland)
Inuit
Date / Period
Date made: Possibly before 1867
Date collected
?By 1867 [judging by mention in 'Primitive Warfare]
Acquisition information
Donated: 1884
Materials and processes
Material Narwhal Ivory Tooth Animal
Dimensions
Length: max 1814 mm, Diameter: max 64 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1884.20.4
Research and responses

This object [?it is possible it is actually one of the other six objects made from narwhal] is mentioned in 'Primitive Warfare' page 33 'Plate V fig 50 Spear of the narwhal scale half inch to one foot Colonel Fox's collection'. [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]

Search terms: Weapon, Animalia, Hunting, Fishing, Animal Part, Fishing Accessory, Hunting accessory, Harpoon, Spear