Partners with Nature

Seal Feast Bowl
Tlingit, collected 1904

This feast bowl is carved in the shape of a seal, complete with its head, flippers, and body curve. It was used on special occasions to serve eulachon or seal oil. Oil tendered from the eulachon, a small slender fish, is a prized condiment that is mixed with fish, berries, and other foods. It is also a nutritious dietary supplement, notable for its high vitamin A content.

Seal Feast Bowl
Red alder (Alnus rubra), abalone (Haliotis sp.) shell; L 32.0 x W 18.0 x H 12.2 cm; 3178-63