МАЭ № 2888-62

Harpoon without a point used for hunting harbor seals

Kodiak Eskimos

wood, paint, seal sinew, caribou antler

length 151.5 cm, length from the top of the shaft to the wrapping 27 cm, diameter at the head of the shaft 2.5 cm, diameter of the shaft 1.8 cm

The Kodiak Alutiits used two types of harpoons for hunting harbor seals: a small and a large. The small harpoon was of the same form as the light harpoons used for hunting otters. But they had different points: the harpoon used for hunting otters had a point with notches on both sides while that used for seals was only notched on one side. The small harpoon used for hunting seals was thrown with a throwing board while the large harpoon was thrown by hand. As opposed to the small harpoon, the large harpoon had to have a float made from a sea animal bladder attached to it.

Ethnography of America