1901.60.1

Collection type

Object

Description

Dagger or sheath-knife with string-bound grip and wooden handle carved in the shape of a bird's head.

Long description

Dagger or sheath-knife with string-bound grip and wooden handle carved in the shape of a bird's head. The blade is straight along one edge and has a slight curve near the tip of the other edge. There is a round perforation near the point. Where the blade and handle join, the blade narrows (it becomes thinner than the handle) and extends along one side of the grip to the pommel. The other side of the grip is wood. The two sides have been tightly bound together by thin brown string. The pommel and grip are carved from a single piece of wood. The pommel has been carved as a bird with short feathers visible under its beak and small feet nestled between the feathers. The beak curves downward and is relatively short. Large eyes are visible on either side, and the top of the birds head is carved with feathers and ears. [CAK 23/06/2009]

Geographical reference

Canada

Northern America > North America > Canada

British Columbia Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) NW Coast

Cultural groups

Haida

Person

Field collector Unknown Collector

PRM source Mrs M.C. Bickmore

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1901

Date collected

By 1901

Acquisition information

Purchased: 06/15/1901

Materials and processes

Material Iron Metal, Material Wood Plant, Material String, Process Carved, Process Bound, Process Forged (Metal), Process Perforated, Process Nailed

Dimensions

Length: max 400 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1901.60.1

Research and responses

Mrs Bickmore was a dealer based in the High Street, Oxford [AP 22/01/2007]

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 dagger was viewed alongside other weapons and tools on Monday Sept 14, 2009. Delegates largely thought this was a functional, rather than ceremonial, dagger. It was observed that the hole in the blade could indicate the re-use of found or traded metal. Christian White commented that the thread bound on the handle could be sail-making thread. He thought the wood of the dagger could be walnut or wood from a gunstock. Christian also thought the metal looked recycled and wondered if it had come from a broken sword. He thought this would be used as a weapon for fighting. Gaahlaay (Lonnie Young) thought the knife would be used for cutting and skinning animals, a kind of utility knife. Jaalen Edenshaw observed that with this, and other, blades, the ribs running lengthways from the tip to the hilt allow for the swift removal of the blade: if the blade were to become lodged in a body, the owner/user of knife would be in increased danger.

In terms of the figure on the dagger, Christain White noted that it had a distinctive eye, and that there was almost a row of teeth visible, suggesting to him that it was a raven. Another delegate thought the bird figure was more probably an eagle.

Discussion of Haida daggers more generally can be viewed on Tape 9, time 5:27, which can be found in the Haida Project Related Documents File. [CAK 12/05/2010]

Search terms: Weapon, Tool, Figure, Dagger, Knife, Bird Figure