miniature harpoon with spear thrower

unrecorded Kalaallit (Greenland Inuit) artist

miniature harpoon with spear thrower, 1800s

Where object was made: Greenland

Material/technique: carving; leather; bone; wood

Dimensions:
Object Length/Width (Length x Width): 48 x 2.5 cm
Object Length/Width (Length x Width): 1 0.984252 x 18 7/8 in

Credit line: Gift of Lewis Lindsay Dyche

Accession number: 2007.0595

Not on display

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Exhibition Label: "Climate Change at the Poles," Jan-2009, Kate Meyer, Jennifer Talbott, and Angela Watts Items such as these miniatures became popular souvenirs in the nineteenth century due to the rising interest in Inuit culture. Over time, as trading posts became more numerous and items like these became more valuable, Inuit were able to make these types of items for trade and in turn use the money to purchase food and clothing, rather than rely on an unpredictable subsistence economy.