Inuit polar bear carving
Last updated | 14/09/2010
This is a walrus ivory tooth/tusk carved in the shape of a polar
bear.
It is a simple elegantly carved piece which skilfully exploits the
curvature of the tooth/tusk. This shows a polar bear standing to
its full height when reared on its back legs. The mouth is marked
in red and one ear is missing.
The carving is probably a 19th century piece made for the tourist
market. There is a long tradition of Inuit polar bear carvings,
mainly associated with Inuit shamans. Bears were often the most
important helping spirit for a shaman.
