H16.22G

late 19th, early 20th century
Klamath River
Museum Purchase
H16.22G


Soup spoons, elk horn; two sent to the American Museum of Natural History in exchange on Sept. 23, 1911.

From the History Information Station: "Object: Carved elk antler spoons collected among the lower Klamath River peoples, and dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. They were acquired by the Oakland Public Museum in 1910.History: The massive horns of the elk were used to make a number of useful objects. From this material a man carved elegant spoons for his own personal use. The only tool he used was a simple pointed obsidian tool called a graver. With his graver he picked away at the hard antler until a piece of suitable size could be broken off. He sandwiched the piece of horn between bunches of grass and placed it in a hole with hot rocks which he filled with dirt. The resultant 'steam' treatment made it easier for the carver to bend the antler piece and shape it with his graver. Final shaping and sanding was done with an abrasive, rasping rock such as sandstone."

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