Harpoon Head of the OBS I Type " Y "

E 135) A very finely carved harpoon head of the OBS I type « y ». The Henry Bascom Collins Jr. Typology describes this type as : « Classified as Old Bering Sea Type I because it has a trifurcated spur, two drilled line holes, and the holes for two side blades coming out at a right angle. This orientation of the side blades is what gives the type the “y” categorization. It was given the style Old Bering Sea I because of its simple, lightly incised lines, with minor converging lines. ». The two flint side blade/barbs lodged to either side of the point are now missing. The overall shape of the object is carved to possibly represent the fur pelt of the giant sea otter – a major source of food and skin for the Bering Sea Eskimo and those of the Aleutian chain or that of an arctic fox. The incised decor is a subtle mix of linear and curvilinear designs showing extensive wear. The lashing-well is deep and ribbed inside between the two holes for the passage of the harpoon line.

Old Bering Sea I (possibly II), Saint Lawrence Island to Northern Coastal Alaska.
Mineralized walrus tusk (Odobenus rosmarus divergens).
9 cm.
Circa. 2200 BP to 1500 BP.

Provenance Provenance :
Ex coll. : Alain de Montbrison, Paris;
Chloé de Montbrison, Paris.

Literature: See :
Lorain, Michael : Arctic Archaeology and the Importance of Harpoon Heads : https://www.uaf.edu/museum/collections/archaeo/online-exhibits/mrap/mike/

Mason, Owen : The Multiplication of Forms : Bering Strait Harpoon Heads as a Demic and Macroevolutionary Proxy in Macroevolution in Human Prehistory, University of Colorado Boulder,  August 2009, pp.73-107 : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226824337_The_Multiplication_of_Forms_Bering_Strait_Harpoon_Heads_as_a_Demic_and_Macroevolutionary_Proxy