caribou figure

caribou figure, late 1800s–1947

Where object was made: Little Diomede Island, District of Alaska or Alaska Territory (present-day Alaska), United States

Material/technique: India ink; carving; ivory

Dimensions:
Object Height/Width/Length (Height x Width x Length): 7 x 1.5 x 7.4 cm
Object Height/Width/Length (Height x Width x Length): 2 3/4 x 0 9/16 x 2 15/16 in

Credit line: Gift of Donald E. Sheriff

Accession number: 2007.0593

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.