Boas, Franz: Primitive art (Oslo , Leipzig [u.a.], 1927)

Art of the North Pacific Coast of North America

197

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whale. It will be noticed that b, c, d have round eyes while
in a and h the regular oblong eye is used. In e and g the
fundamental form of the eye is also round. Fig. 180 is a
Tlingit helmet which is characterized as the killer-whale by
the large mouth set with teeth, the sudden turn of the nose
towards the forehead, the fin made of hide which rises over
the crown of the head, and the fin which is painted on the
left cheek. Ordinarily the killer-whale has no ears. In facial
painting red under and on the lower
jaw up to a line running from the
angle of the jaw to a point a little
below the lips, represents the throat
of the killer-whale.
The bear is symbolized by a large
mouth set with many teeth, often in
the act of swallowing some animal.
Very often the tongue protrudes.
The nostrils are high and round,
sometimes represented by spirals
(see also figs. 157, 175). On totem
poles and carved spoon handles
they are similar to those of the
killer-whale but do not extend quite
so far backward. There is a sharp
turn in the profile from the nose to
the fore-head. The paws are large
(fig. 181).
In fig. 182 three berry spoons are
shown which, according to Charles
Edensaw, represent the bear. Fig.
182 a is quite clear. At the end of
the spoon is shown the head with an enormous ear (1), the size of
which is determined by the form of the spoon. Two teeth are
indicated by red curves (2). Under the mouth is a broad black

Fig. 182. Berry spons representing
bear; a, b, Tsimshian; c, Tlingit;
d, representing killer-whale.