$850.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Late 20th Century
6.25" H
Hand Carved from Ivory of a Bear and Salmon on Ancient Ivory Sled Runner
In Very Good Condition
Fossil ivory (likely ancient walrus ivory or similar, often sourced from prehistoric or archaeological contexts in the Arctic regions, where such material was historically used by Inuit/Yupik peoples for tools and art).
The base is an ancient sled runner - a long, curved piece of ivory originally part of a traditional Inuit dog sled (qamutiik) for gliding over snow and ice. These runners were functional items in Arctic cultures, sometimes repurposed or enhanced with carvings in later artistic traditions.
Features a bear (possibly a polar bear, common in Inuit iconography) and salmon motif. Bears symbolize strength and hunting prowess, while salmon represent sustenance and the cycle of life in many Indigenous Arctic and Northwest Coast stories.
Condition:
Very Good
Tribe:
Eskimo - Inuit - Yup'ik
Year Range:
1975 - 2000
Region:
Inuit
Dimensions:
6.25 in
Category:
Ivory, Antler & Bone Figures and Carvings
