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Collections: Arts of the Americas: Spindle Whorl (Sulsultin)

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Spindle Whorl (Sulsultin)

Culture: Chemainus, Coast Salish, Native American
Medium: Hardwood, pigment traces
Place Collected: Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Dates: 19th century
Dimensions: 8 3/4 x 8 3/4 x 3/8 in. (22.2 x 22.2 x 1 cm)
Collections: Arts of the Americas
Museum Location: This item is not on view
Accession Number: 05.588.7382
Credit Line: Museum Expedition 1905, Museum Collection Fund
Image: Overall, 05.588.7382_PS1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2007

Catalogue Description: The object is a spindle whorl carved on one side with a human form surrounded by a two headed snake. There are traces of red pigment in the carved detail. There is a theory that carved spindle whorls, as opposed to plain whorls, were used for spining mountain goat wool, the material used to make ceremonial garments. The object is in good and stable condition with no splits or cracks in the wood. The hole in the center is slightly worn and a small section from the rim on the back is missing.

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rkvaron (7)
- mouth
- circle
- brown
- Native
- American
- hands
- symmetry
moriah11 (18)
- Chemainus
- Coast
- Salish
- Coast Salish
- Native American
- Indian
- mouth
- lips
- Spindle Whorl
- spindle
- whorl
- hardwood
- wood
- pigment
- carved
- carving
- 19th century
- face

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