Eskimo Inuit Whalebone Bird Carving Fetish

a3" H x 2.75" L x 1.875" W

Hand Carved from the Pacific Northwest Eskimo Whalebone with Inlaid Jet Eyes

Excellent Condition

Eskimo Inuit Whalebone Bird Carving Fetish is a traditional or contemporary sculpture from Inuit (or Yup'ik) artists of the Arctic regions, including Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. These carvings are small, handheld sculptures (often called "fetishes" in Native American art contexts, meaning spirit-inspired objects rather than jewelry) depicting birds—such as geese, owls, ravens, or seabirds—carved from fossilized or aged whalebone. They embody Inuit cultural reverence for nature, hunting, and spirituality, where birds symbolize freedom, migration, and the interconnectedness of land and sea life.