NELSON] 



MYTHIC ANIMALS 



447 



Figure 158, from Cape Vancouver, is a carving of walrus ivory, repre 

 senting a worm-like body encircled by incised rings to represent the 

 segments, which are colored alternately green and red. On the front 

 end of the body is represented a semihuman face, below which project 

 two paws with four fingers or toes. The carving tapers toward the tail, 

 which is narrow and somewhat flattened, with a hole pierced through 

 for the admission of a cord. This object was used as a pendant on a 



woman s belt, and represents the 

 man- worm which appears in nu 

 merous tales of these people. 



Figure 159, from Cape Van 

 couver, is a handsome little ivory 

 carving representing the figure of a seal with the mouth of a lamprey; 

 the middle of the body is carved into two joined links. This represents 

 one of the numerous mythic animals supposed to inhabit the sea. 



Figure 100, from Sledge island, is an ivory cord handle representing 

 one of the mythic animals believed to inhabit the sea and to be half 

 white bear and half whale. 



FIG. 159 Ivory carving of a mythic animal (full 

 si/.e). 



FIG. 160 Ivory (Iras handle representing a composite animal (g). 



Figure 101 shows a cord handle of ivory from Sledge island. It is 

 carved to represent a mythic creature, half seal and half human, that 

 the Eskimo of Norton sound and Bering strait claim exists in the sea. 

 They are said to be caught in nets or killed by hunters at times, and 

 when this happens the one who is responsible for it is presumed to suf 

 fer many misfortunes. 



Figure 102, from Sledge island, is an ivory handle for a whale float. 

 One end represents a sealhead, and the other the head of one of the 

 mermaid-like beings said 

 to live in the sea and to 

 have the head and shoul 

 ders of a human being, the 

 remainder of the animal 

 being like a seal. 



Figure 103, from Kush- 

 unuk, is a carving of wood three inches in length. It represents the 

 body of a seal with the head and neck of a human being. Upon the 

 shoulders incised lines represent hands and arms; a seal claw is set in. 

 the lower part of the breast and curved downward and back. This 

 object represents a mythic animal supposed to live in the sea, and is 

 without definite use. It shows a mermaid-like creature, half human 



FIG. 161 Ivory carving of a mermaid-like creature (fb). 



