bone comb
bone comb
bone comb
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Bone comb incised and beautifully decorated with three design fields. One design field shows possible Union Jack. Collected by Dr. Oronhyatekha; acquired by the ROM in 1911 from the Independent Order of Foresters.
Read More About This Relative
Shoulder bone of mammal; ROM record notes it is antler
5 teeth. Lace hole possibly made with bow drill. Pilot holes drilled as guide for making teeth
Front: crossed hatches and lines. Also in botton of design field appears to be a flag, possibly Union Jack. Possibly Scottish variant of Union Jack. Could middle design field represent a battle.
Reverse: 3 triangles, 2 pointing to the teeth, 1 pointing to the top side of the comb. Each of the triangles is occupied by a dot. 2 diagonal lines. In middle of design field are 2 headless bodies. AC points out on war clubs that indicates someone who has been killed. 5 designs on bottom of design field. A suspicious hole possibly a lace hole to secure piece during construction. Zig zag motif on border, possibly to give piece stability.
Provenance
F. Barlow Cumberland, Catalogue and Notes of the Oronhyatekha Historical Collection (Toronto: Independent Order of Foresters, 1904), p 39, Item 183. "Indian Bone Comb, elaborately decorated on both sides."
About This GRASAC Record
Unknown artist, bone comb. Currently in the Royal Ontario Museum, 911.3.47. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2008; GRASAC item id 1148.
45.8, -83.9
Style of motifs.