Steatite scultpture base
This green steatite base has Inuktitut writing and what appears to be the number 74 on one side, which we interpret as the year it was made or finished. There is a hole in the top center for a sculpture to be fitted, though the sculpture (according to paperwork, a narwhal) is missing.
Associated paperwork lists the area of origin as Repulse Bay, but as of 2015 this location's traditional name was restored to "Naujaat." In the Inuktitut alphabet Naujaat is written "????" which matches some of the writing on this base.
- Object: Steatite scultpture base
- Artist: Aloserkut
- Circa: 1974?
- Dimensions: 4" x 3"
- Culture Area: Arctic, Arctic Circle, Naujaat
- Cultural Group: Inuit, Aivilingmiut
- Cultural Context: The Naujaat community continues to rely on traditional sealing, fishing, hunting, trapping, and carving for their livelihood, together with tourism. Naujaat is known for its Inuit artists, especially carvers (typically creating small realist animal sculptures of ivory, soapstone, marble and antler), as well as jewellery and crafts.
- Donor: George B. Robson
- Catalog #: 96.126.2026