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

276

Art of the North Pacific Coast of North America



Fig. 287. Painted boxes.

raven as culture-hero. The upper right hand rectangle of the first
side he claimed to represent the head of the raven surmounted by
the ear; the large eye to the left of it, in the left hand upper
corner, the shoulder and under it the wing and tail. The design in
the right hand lower corner he interpreted as the foot; the toes are
clearly visible in the lowest right hand corner of this field. He claims
that the head turned upside down in the left hand upper rectangle
of the second side represents the head of the raven and under it the
hand; the raven being conceived as a human being. The rectangle in