Such poles were erected to symbolize the wealth and social status of a leader, as well as the importance of his family and clan. These celebrations are often associated with the construction of totem poles. One of the ways in which this wealth was spent and distributed was through gift-giving feasts known as potlatches. In addition, the fur trade brought great wealth to the Native American tribes of the area.
6,000-year-old carved phallus artefacts found in Papua New GuineaĪ magnificent totem pole.Birds, Stones, and Jaguars: Piecing Together the Multifaceted Ancient Olmec Religion.Why Isn’t This Map in the History Books?.In any case, contact with Europeans enabled the Native Americans to obtain metal tools more easily. It is unclear if these Native American groups first acquired metal tools from European settlers, or if they had recovered such tools previously from European shipwrecks. The use of metal tools, however, allowed the totem pole makers to create much larger monuments far more easily. This shorter size makes sense when one considers that early totem pole artists crafted the poles by hand using sharpened stones, sea shells, bones or beaver teeth. Prior to this, totem poles were much smaller in size, roughly equivalent to the height of a walking stick. One of the important developments in the history of totem pole production was the introduction of metal tools.
Tlingit totem pole in Ketchikan, Alaska, circa 1901. The explanation for this is that the region’s climate is not conducive to the preservation of wooden artifacts, and serves to exacerbate the decay of these monuments.
Today, however, no known totem pole dates to before the 1800s. One theory that has been proposed is that this type of monument developed from the elaborate carvings of interior door posts, funerary containers, and memorial markers.ĭuring the 18th century, European travelers along the north-western coast of North America recorded seeing totem poles during their travels, though these were small and few in number. The carving of totem poles is a practice among certain Native American groups, including the Haida, the Chinook, and the Tlingit tribes. Totem poles are rich in symbolism, and were used for a variety of purposes. While the oldest totem poles that we know are from the 19th century, it has been suggested that this tradition has existed since long before then. These monuments are found in North America, specifically along its north-western coast, and are traditionally created by a number of Native American groups. Totem poles are a type of monumental structure carved from the trunks of huge trees, especially the Western Red Cedar.
0 kommentar(er)
