late 1800s–early 1900s
Horn, copper
Overall: 10 x 9.7 cm (3 15/16 x 3 13/16 in.)
Gift of Mrs. Lyman H. Treadway 1924.175
Elaborate utensils, valuable possessions of Northwest Coast noble clans, were used during potlatch feasts. This spoon’s handle features the heads of a wolf and a raven along with a beaver’s tail. All may be crests, motifs that, like European heraldry, were exclusive to important families and referred to their histories and rights to control land and resources.
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