Anderson River, Northwest Territories, Canada, North America
Accession Date:
21 Dec 1866
Notes:
FROM CARD: "ILLUS: HNDBK. N. AMER. IND., VOL. 5, ARCTIC, PG. 353, FIG. 7B. TOOL MADE OF 2 PIECES OF BONE BOUND TOGETHER WITH SINEW, WITH A SHORT METAL BLADE SET IN THE TIP. IT WAS PROBABLY USED FOR ENGRAVING IVORY."
Source of the information below: Inuvialuit Pitqusiit Inuuniarutait: Inuvialuit Living History, The MacFarlane Collection website, by the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre (ICRC), Inuvik, N.W.T., Canada (website credits here http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/posts/12 ), entry on this artifact http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/items/193 , retrieved 12-30-2019: Graver with an iron blade set into a handle made from antler. The blade has been sharpened along one edge and at the tip. The handle consists of a piece of antler that has been split along the long axis. The resulting two pieces have matching grooves at one end, and were rejoined after the blade was inserted. Part of the handle has been cut away, leaving a slight step at each end. A cord of braided sinew is wrapped around the handle below the step at each end. A red ochre stain is visible on one face of this tool. More information here: http://www.inuvialuitlivinghistory.ca/item_types/27: Gravers with iron tips held in bone and antler shafts were used for engraving designs on ivory, bone, antler and wood.
