Harpoon line implement

Thule culture

Bering Strait regions, Alaska

900 - 1700 CE

Walrus Ivory, Lignite, Leather

7.5cm

ex. Private New York Collection

For the Inuit both ancient and modern, the most important aspect of life is the hunt for seals, walrus, and whales. And as every hunter knows that the most important part of hunting is the equipment you bring. No one knows this better than the Inuit, who crafts and adorns almost every piece of gear he takes with him, from line toggles to oars and even the kayak itself. From a young age, Inuit boys would be told hunting stories and taught basic skills with toy weapons. The most important and central tool for the hunt, especially for seals, is the harpoon and harpoon line. This line would have various toggles, hooks, and ivory implements such as the present example attached, and often times these ivory implements are decorated with zoomorphic forms to empower the hunter, guide his harpoon, and give respect to the prey he hunts. This particular piece is in the form of wolf, one of the most formidable and feared predators in the arctic, and one which the Inuit hunter certainly aspires to be like.