Native American Carvings

Carving was a very popular form of art among the 

Native Americans of Alaska.

It was how the people expressed themselves and showed their close ties with nature.

These native tribes had many carving mediums available to them.  They used wood, whale bone, rocks, fossils, ivory, and soapstone.

Their carvings were almost always images of animals, spirits or places.

The Tlingit tribes were known for their totem poles,  but the Inupiag were known for their smaller carvings, usually of animals or birds.

In the picture above, Madie and I were standing outside of a store that sold hand carved knives,  Fossil Whale bone carvings and masks, and many other traditional trinkets with carved fronts like boxes, utensils, bowls, ceremonial staffs, rattles and screens that divided the living areas of a tribal house.

My favorite carvings were of the bears.  There are many talented artists still in Alaska today that honor the traditions of those who came before.

This is an example of an Alaskan Eskimo Walrus Tusk Ivory Carved Owl

Photo courtesy of Manor Auctions Gallery

This is an example of a bone carving done by Alaskan artist, Doug Albricht