EXCEPTIONAL OLD WOODEN PLANK TLINGITS- THINKITS -NATIVE Start Price USD 1,100.00 Current Price USD 1,100.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Tuesday, November 18, 2008 End Time Friday, November 21, 2008 Location Rio de Janeiro See more about 'EXCEPTIONAL OLD WOODEN PLANK TLINGITS- THINKITS -NATIVE' Description Item # 59 Name of the Item EXCEPTIONAL OLD WOODEN PLANK TLINGITS- THINKITS -NATIVE (one of two) Provenance Tlingits Area. Alaska- Canada Materials Wood and ink. Description Exceptional Large wooden plank of possible Tlingits origin. Is shows a bear in the center and sea creatures side to side (maybe salmons or whales). The painting is vibrant but today a little bit darkened. A researcher from Canada suggested that it can be part of a settee or even a section of a larger composition of a Big House. We will be pleased with contributions by other experts. History: The Tlingit (pronounced /ˈklɪŋkɪt/ in English, also /-gɪt/ or Tlinkit /ˈtlɪŋkɪt/, which is often considered inaccurate) are an Indigenous people of northwestern America. Their name for themselves is Lingít (IPA: [ɬɪŋkɪt]) , meaning "people". The Russian name Koloshi (from an Aleut term for the labret) or the related German name Koulischen may be encountered in older historical literature. The Tlingit culture is multifaceted and complex, a characteristic of Northwest Pacific Coast peoples with access to easily exploited rich resources. In Tlingit culture a heavy emphasis is placed upon family and kinship, and on a rich tradition of oratory. Wealth and economic power are important indicators of status, but so is generosity and proper behavior, all signs of "good breeding" and ties to aristocracy. Art and spirituality are incorporated in nearly all areas of Tlingit culture, with even everyday objects such as spoons and storage boxes decorated and imbued with spiritual power and historical beliefs of the Tlingits. The economy of the Tlingit is based mainly on fishing, and they are especially noted for their skill in wood carving. They also make ceremonial masks, house posts, totem poles, canoes,woven hats, baskets, and blankets. In both appearance and social customs, they closely resemble the neighboring Haida. The tribes include the Sitka, Auk, Huna and Tonga. Potlach, was an elaborate ceremonial feast involving dancing, storytelling, and gift-giving by hosts They were celebrated because of major life events and to validate the social status of the hosts. The Tlingits live in an area with gray-green islands, misty fjords, and spruce and cedar rain forests of Alaska's Southeastern Panhandle. The ocean provided not only food, but also a transportation corridor. Highly skilled navigators with seaworthy canoes, the Tlingits thought nothing of paddling for days in any direction. The area the Tlingits live in is blessed with a mild maritime climate and plentiful food. Abundant salmon made possible a life of wealth and leisure. At one time obtaining fish was central to the Tlingit Indians winter survival. Salmon was the chief part of their diet, but also important were the halibut, eulachon, and herring. They lavished great care on the fishing equipment and techniques, which were very superior to those imported by the first Europeans. Only one innovation as readily adopted by the Tlingit fishermen: the replacement of bone and stone points with iron. Various traditional means were used by the Tlingit people for catching and using locally abundant fish. The eulachon has always been prized by the Tlingits. Their rendered oil was used for seasoning and preserving. Herring, especially their eggs, has been considered a delicacy by the Tlingits. In April and May great schools of herring make their way into shallow bays. They were often caught with the same rake used to catch the eulachon, then were dried or eaten fresh. The Tlingit are a matrilineal society who developed a complex hunter-gatherer culture in the temperate rainforest of the southeast Alaska coast and the Alexander Archipelago. An inland subgroup, known as the Inland Tlingit, inhabit the far northwestern part of the province of British Columbia and the southern Yukon Territory of Canada. The Tlingit language is well known not only for its complex grammar and sound system but also for using certain phonemes which are not heard in almost any other language. Tlingit thought and belief, although never formally codified, was historically a fairly well organized philosophical and religious system whose basic axioms shaped the way Tlingit people viewed and interacted with the world around them. Between 1886 and 1895, in the face of their shamans' inability to treat Old World diseases including smallpox, most of the Tlingit people converted to Orthodox Christianity. (Russian Orthodox missionaries had translated their liturgy into the Tlingit language.) After the introduction of Christianity, the Tlingit belief system began to erode. Today, some young Tlingits look back towards what their ancestors believed, for inspiration, security, and a sense of identity. This causes some friction in Tlingit society, because most modern Tlingit elders are fervent believers in Christianity, and have transferred or equated many Tlingit concepts with Christian ones. Indeed, many elders believe that resurrection of heathen practices of shamanism and spirituality are dangerous, and are better forgotten. The maximum territory historically occupied by the Tlingit extended from the Portland Canal along the present border between Alaska and British Columbia north to the coast just southeast of the Copper River delta. The Tlingit occupied almost all of the Alexander Archipelago except the southernmost end of Prince of Wales Island and its surroundings into which the Kaigani Haida moved just before the first encounters with European explorers. Inland the Tlingit occupied areas along the major rivers which pierce the Coast Mountains and Saint Elias Mountains and flow into the Pacific, including the Alsek, Tatshenshini, Chilkat, Taku, and Stikine rivers. With regular travel up these rivers the Tlingit developed extensive trade networks with Athabascan tribes of the interior, and commonly intermarried with them. From this regular travel and trade, a few relatively large populations of Tlingit settled around the Atlin, Teslin, and Tagish lakes, the headwaters of which flow from areas near the headwaters of the Taku River. The Tlingits were often referred to as the Chilkats. Actually, the Chilkats are the the people who lived along the Chilkat River. The origin of the Tlingits is not certain. It is possible, the people came from the coast of Asia and Japan migrating north and east across the Aleutians,the Gulf of Alaska, to Southeast Alaska. Art forms and physical features of the Tlingit are similar to some Pacific groups. The Tlingits often fought frequently with the Russians who settled in Alaska. The Chilkats and Chilkoots also had overland trade routes to the interior. A great trade empire was established from the interior, Alaska/Canada south to north of California. In the Americas, this trade empire was rivaled in size only by the Incas. This wooden plank is still undefined but we suspect that it has a Tlingits origin, considering the style of salmons or whales in the composition. The observe is as the picture show, rooted by worms in the past and not repaired. Highlights Nice painting depicting a Bear and manire creatures side by side. Condition As it is and shown in picture. We would say: reasonable good and stable condition but some parts of painting is  lost and it was attacked by worns or termites in  the past. HEAVY   ITEM!!!!! Measures H: 37 3/4 inches ( 96 cm) W: 11 1/4 inches (29 cm) Date (or estimated) No idea. But It seems to date XIX or XX Century Origin of the item Private Collection in RJ. Acquired in Vancouver in 1987.   Business Information History/background Every item offered by MAT-AC (Mouseîon Antiques Trading) is unconditionally guaranteed to be Genuine and Authentic. We are located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where we have a small shop. From 1996 we started to work as Antique Dealers and we have travelled many times to places related to History and Archaeology, looking for interesting items to sell and pieces for our own collection. From 2002 we work with Archaeological Tours. Also, we collect archaeological artifacts and art works for more than 25 years and part of this collection will be displayed in the Mankind Museum in Rio de Janeiro, which will be inaugurated soon. Payment policy We accept payments through PayPal, Mail order or Bank transfer for Citibank account. All payments are required until 5 days after the end of auction. After that an unpaid item report will be issued to eBay. Shipping information   Shipping WORLDWIDE => Buyer pays shipping costs depending on buyer's requests. Some expensive items can be sent free. Combined Shipping => Multiple items can be combined for a single low shipping cost. Insurance => Optional insurance. 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