Conjuring Bones

70-9-513

From: Canada | Quebec

Curatorial Section: American

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Object Number 70-9-513
Current Location Collections Storage
Culture Naskapi | St. Augustine Band
Provenience Canada | Quebec
Culture Area Subarctic Culture Area
Section American
Materials Caribou Bone | Fiber
Description

Ten long bones from caribou fetuses, wrapped in a scrap of blue cloth. Suspended over drum to produce buzzing while the drum is being struck. Note in Speck's handwriting on tag accompanying object: "Drum snare of bones taken from unborn caribou for magical influence in use of drum when conjuring (obtained from Jerome Mistenapi." See Speck 1935, Naskapi, pp. 175.

Length 4 cm
Credit Line Bequest of Samuel Pennypacker, 1970

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