The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 29, 2024

Dagger (Gwálaa)

Dagger (Gwálaa)

late 1800s–early 1900s
Overall: 3.8 x 4.8 cm (1 1/2 x 1 7/8 in.); Blade: 19.1 cm (7 1/2 in.)

Description

After Europeans introduced firearms, the Indigenous Northwest Coast dagger transformed from a weapon into a status symbol worn in a sheath that hung from the neck. That may be the case with this example, which depicts a bear’s head over a supine human.
  • {{cite web|title=Dagger (Gwálaa)|url=false|author=|year=late 1800s–early 1900s|access-date=29 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.720