Object

Accession No

1893.45 D-E

Description

Shoes, one pair. Each is made from four main pieces of dehaired caribou skin. One main piece forms the sole with the edges turned over the sides of the foot. Skin is finely crimped around the toes. A V-shaped piece of same forms the upper foot. Three narrow parallel strips of skin are sewn around two sides of upper foot. Two rectangular pieces of skin are sewn around ankles. Upper edge of skin is turned to the interior to form a casing. Braided sinew tie is threaded through casing with the ends emerging through two holes at the back of the heel. Structural sewing is with sinew.

Place

Arctic; North America; ?United States of America; ?Alaska

Period

Source

Caldwell, Robert Townley (Colonel) [donor]

Department

Anth

Reference Numbers

1893.45 D-E; MAA: AR 1893.62; [1895.45]

Cultural Affliation

?Aleut; ?Alutiit; ?Unangan

Material

Sinews; Caribou Skin

Local Term

kamleika (Black 1982:157)

Measurements

Events

Description (Physical description)
Original catalogue card: 'The Arctic, Esquimaux Skin Upper Dress (A), and pairs of shoes (B) and Trousers and Two Pairs of Shoes (D,E; F; G). Skin is probably seal intestine. It has been suggested this could be gut." (transcribed by J.Hall, March 2005)
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Description (Physical description)
D & E: pair of shoes.
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Context (References)
Black, Lydia Aleut Art. Anchorage, Alaska, 1982: 154-163.

Event Date 1982
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Context (Display)
Exhibited: Displayed in case 9, CUMAA anthropology galleries, until on 9 July 1986.
Event Date 9/7/1986
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Context (References)
Hickman, Pat. (1987). Innerskins/Outerskins: Gut and Fishskins. San Francisco: San Francisco Craft and Folk Museum
Event Date 1987
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Description (Physical description)
J. Hall: 'Shoes, one pair. Each is made from four main pieces of dehaired caribou skin. One main piece forms the sole with the edges turned over the sides of the foot. Skin is finely crimped around the toes. A V-shaped piece of same forms the upper foot. Three narrow parallel strips of skin are sewn around two sides of upper foot. Two rectangular pieces of skin are sewn around ankles. Upper edge of skin is turned to the interior to form a casing. Braided sinew tie is threaded through casing with the ends emerging through two holes at the back of the heel. Structural sewing is with sinew.'
Event Date 6/2004
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Context (Analysis)
Judy Hall, Curator of Eastern Woodlands and Arctic Ethnology, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada identified this as 'Unangan (Aleut) type'
Event Date 3/2005
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Context (Amendments / updates)
The Cultural Group field previously read 'Eskimo' based on the accession register. 'Inuit' was added at an unknown time. Following advice from a visiting researcher in 2005 'Unangan (Aleut) type' was added. This field was updated again in 2024 to include the names used in Lincoln, A., Cooper, J., and Loovers, J. P. L. (2020) Arctic: Culture and Climate. London: Thames and Hudson and The British Museum, pp.10-11.
Event Date 15/8/2024
Author: Kirsty Kernohan

FM:280884