Transformational figure

Okvik, Native American

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 746

This female figure with an elongated head and torso appears part-human and part-sea mammal or fish. Although its exact purpose is specific to the owner, the narrow opening at the center may signify the boundary between the physical and spirit worlds. Carvings such as this one are among the most aesthetically refined of the Old Bering Sea sculptural works.

Transformational figure, Walrus ivory, Okvik, Native American

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Transformational figure, Walrus ivory, Okvik, Native American
Transformational figure, Walrus ivory, Okvik, Native American

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