Wooden bowl used for grease and berries with formline animal designs carved on the ends. [CAK 14/08/2009]

Collection type: Object
Description: Wooden bowl used for grease and berries with formline animal designs carved on the ends. [CAK 14/08/2009]
Long description: Wooden bowl used for grease and berries with formline animal designs carved on the ends. Carved from a single piece of alder wood, the bowl is roughly rectangular shaped. The rim is beveled on the sides, with a convex curvature extending upwards and flattening out on both ends. Animal faces are carved on either end. The mouth is near the base of the bowl, two large ovoid eyes are above the mouth and a cross-hatched section is carved between the eyes. Thin ears are above each eye. At the very top of each end is a square design. The sides of the bowl are plain, as is the inside of the bowl except for a ridge that runs approximately 10.5 mm below the rim. The wood contains grease residue, particularly on the bottom of the bowl. [CAK 14/08/2009]
Geographical reference: Canada
Northern America > North America > Canada; British Columbia Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) NW Coast
Cultural groups: Haida
Person: Field collector Charles Harrison; PRM source Charles Harrison
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1882-1890
Date collected: Between 1882 and 1890 ?
Acquisition information: Purchased: 02/03/1891
Materials and processes: Material Alder Wood Plant, Process Carved, Process Incised
Dimensions: Height: max 60 mm, Length: max 119 mm, Width: max 102 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1891.49.104
Research and responses: 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 bowl was viewed alongside other wood and horn dishes on Wednesday Sept 9, 2009. Kwiaahwah Jones and Candace Weir thought this was a grease bowl. Kwiaahwah added that it smelled like fish and wondered if it was used for dog-fish liver oil. Christian White wondered if this was a bowl for a high-ranking child. He noted that it was done in a different style, and had a different signature [i.e. identifiable features of the artist]. [CAK 27/05/2010]
Robert Davidson, Haida artist and carver, examined this bowl on 7 April 2011. The following comments were recorded: The bowl has a curve similar to that of the model canoe 1911.79.1. The bowl was possibly made between 1840s and 1860s. [MJD 17/05/2011]

Search terms: Vessel, Food and Drink, Bowl, Food Accessory

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