Inuit
AmericanDog
Not on view
Soapstone
Dimensions2 3/4 × 4 7/8 × 1 13/16 in.
Gift of Mrs. Keith Davis, 1982.184
Dogs have been companions to Inuit people for over 4000 years. Historically, the primary mode of transportation in the Arctic was dogsled. Dogs were not only used to transport sleds but also to help hunters trace game through the snow and ice.
The northern environment provided a variety of materials for carving, such as ivory from walruses, antler, and bone, as well as soapstone and wood. Because of their nomadic way of life, creating small size carvings, like the two you see here, was beneficial.
