The Sheldon Jackson Museum August artifact of the month is a set of six walrus ivory belt fasteners (SJ-II-X-380A-F). The object records for these belt fasteners contain very little information - the maker(s), collection source, and collector are unknown. But it's likely these are Iñupiaq, date to the 19th century, and were collected by Sheldon Jackson. The fasteners may have been used on caribou mandible belts worn by Iñupiaq or Yup’ik women. They illustrate the variety found in belt fastener design.
Caribou mandible belts have traditionally been worn by women from the lower Kuskokwim coast to the Arctic. These belts are made from the cut tips of the lower jaws of caribou and sewn together to hold rows of teeth in a natural position. The rows are sewn along a strap of rawhide, overlapping in succession. Some have double rows of teeth. The belts are worn loosely around the waist and held in place by a belt fastener, usually a toggle or button. The belt fastener is attached by a short cord tied through a hole in the button. The belt fastener passes through a cord loop on the opposite side of the belt to hold it in place.
Belt fasteners are typically made of ivory, bone, or reindeer antler and come in many different varieties. Some are made from bear tooth pierced in the middle. Some are in the shape of rounded knobs or hooks. There are also examples of flat button shapes with squared circular or oval outlines. The most common belt fasteners are carved in the form of animals.
Women’s belt fasteners hold rich symbolism and may reflect the natural world or spirit world and the supernatural. The animals commonly depicted feature prominently in the subsistence lives of those who make and wear them. Such animals include seals, bears, and birds. Other fasteners take the form of legendary beasts with carved ribs or lifelines.
The artifacts of the month include a larva with rings around its body, a seal with carved flippers, a similar seal with more dots, a barrel-shaped carving with incised lines and dots, and an unknown form. The larva, which has a red bead inserted at one end, may be a botfly larva, which would frequently be encountered during the harvesting and processing of animals.
The Sheldon Jackson Museum cares for fourteen belt fasteners and eleven caribou mandible belts. You can see the August artifacts of the month as well as other belt fasteners, caribou mandible belts, and many examples of Yup’ik and Iñupiaq material culture at the museum. The Sheldon Jackson Museum is currently open Monday-Saturday, 9 am - 4 pm and Sunday, 1 - 4:30 pm, closed holidays. General admission is $9, $8 for seniors, and free for ages 18 and under and active military and their families.
Nelson, Edward William. The Eskimo About Bering Strait. Smithsonian Institution Press: Washington, 1983.
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