This hammer, or kautaq, originates from the Point Barrow area of Northern Alaska and was made by the Inupiat people. The hammer consists of a large stone lashed with sinew to an antler handle. The stone is very dark in color and has a wide shallow groove beneath the sinew lashings which shows where the lashings have loosened significantly. The handle is likely fashioned from caribou antler and the sinew is possibly bearded seal hide. The hammer is overall quite dark and aged in appearance, indicating it may have been soaked in oil.
- Catalog Number:
- 400518 -DSP
- Object/Specimen Description:
- Specimen Count:
- 1
- Culture/Ethnicity:
- Inupiat
- Precise Locality:
Northern Alaska; possibly Point Barrow area.
- Locality:
- US-Alaska
- Min/Max Dates:
- 19th century
- Collecting Locality:
- North America, United States, Alaska
- Special Instructions:
- Only available digitally
- Location:
- Collection Wall
Baule woodcarvers at work, Yagolikro village, Ivory Coast
Photograph by Eliot Elisofon, 1972. Image no. EEPA EECL 6900. Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
Humans have always manipulated their environment, whether by acquiring food, making and using tools, or other aspects of daily life. They are constantly interacting with their environment on a daily basis. By using the available materials, humans have created shelter, made tools, created containers and vessels, and produced items of personal and cultural significance. Many of these resources are naturally occurring, such as stones, minerals, animal bones, or organic fibers from plants, while others are made from combining materials. The process of acquiring these materials and the manufacturing process can be traditional practices that are passed down from one generation to another. Because materials are unique to the location of different communities and cultures, by studying the types of materials, as well as animal remains found and the processes used to manipulate them, anthropologists and researchers can learn about the daily activities and lifestyles of the cultures they are studying. In what ways do you interact with your environment on a daily basis?