Description:

Native American, Northwestern United States, Alaska, St. Lawrence Island, Inuit / Yupik, Punuk to Thule period, ca. 800 to 1400 CE. A large, polished walrus baculum bone also known as an "oosik" and likely functioned as a sturdy fishing or hunting club by native Alaskan cultures - the Walruses are famous for having the largest baculum 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. This piece was found on St. Lawrence Island, which was first inhabited by proto-Inuit cultures at least 2000 to 2500 years ago. Most settlements on the island were temporary or seasonal hunting camps. Heavy tools such as this oosik may have been left behind and buried for later use when the hunters returned. Size: 17.5" L x 2.5" W (44.4 cm x 6.4 cm)

Please note this item falls under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act and is not eligible for international shipping. Native American, Alaska Native, & Native Hawaiian objects are only eligible to ship within the United States.

Provenance: private Woodside, New York, USA collection, acquired from Alaska Fur Exchange, Anchorage, Alaska, USA in 2015

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

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#182432

  • Condition: Natural bone pitting/ ossification and abrasions. Coloration due to burial / exposure to minerals & sediment. Overall great condition with light mineral deposits.

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November 30, 2023 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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