AB 646, harpoon, Inuit, leather, bone, 83 cm x 1.2 cm, Collection of Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Canada.
Inuit bone harpoon. Seal hole indicator.
Evidence
This seal hole indicator or nipaniut is made from the long bone in a caribou leg. The needle shaped piece is anchored in the snow near the hole. The indicator is place down in the hole. When the seal comes up into the hole to breath, its nose will force the indicator up out of the hole to let the hunter know the seal is rising. The seal does not detect the indicator because its nose is not sensitive enough.
Perspective
n/a
Significance
n/a
Copyright 2009 Inuit Heritage Trust