Description:

Native American, Northwestern United States, Alaska or Canada, Inuit, ca. 19th century or earlier CE. A large, polished walrus baculum bone also known as an "oosik." The walrus is an iconic Arctic animal, and they are famous for having the largest baculum - known to native peoples in the Arctic as an oosik - of all land animals. The baculum is a bone found in the penis of many placental mammals, including some primates, which aids in maintaining stiffness during sexual reproduction, these bones from large arctic mammals were often polished and used as clubs by native Alaskan cultures and later bought as unusual novelty items. Size: 21.25" L x 2" W (54 cm x 5.1 cm)

Provenance: private Constance McCormick Fearing estate, Montecito, California, USA, acquired before 2004

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#181026

  • Condition: Dark patina across surface. Natural bone ossification and pitting to both ends.

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August 25, 2023 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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