DISHES, SPOONS AND RATTLES

References:

Plate 9, Figure 2. Ceremonial Feast Dish. (Wolf).  Kwakiutl.
Plate 9, Figure 3. Ceremonial Feast Dish. (Bear).  Kwakiutl.
Plate 9, Figure 7. Feast Dish Ladle. (Raven). Haida.
Plate 10, Figure 1. Wooden Food Dish. (Eagle Design). Tsimsyan.
Plate 10, Figure 2. Bone Spirit Catcher. Tsimsyan.
Plate 10, Figure 3. Horn Spoon. (Raven Carving). Haida.
Plate 10, Figure 4. Horn Spoon. (Eagle and Whale

Carving) . Haida.

Plate 10, Figure 6. Wooden Food Dish. (Hawk Design). Haida.
Plate 10, Figure 7. Shaman's Rattle. (Human face

Carving). Tsimsyan.
Plate 10, Figure 8. Shaman's Rattle. (Horned Owl
Carving). Tsimsyan.

Admiration of the more or less elaborately carved tribal food
dishes is frequently expressed by explorers and travellers from
1787 onwards. These varied in size from a length of 18 or 20
inches to small shallow trays. The woods used were spruce, hem-
lock or alder; but shallow, oval dishes were also moulded from
the horns of mountain sheep. Those made of wood were either hol-
lowed out from a solid block or bent into the Square or oblong
form desired by the use of steam, Similar to the method employed
for storage chests, pails, etc. The inner receptacle was either
canoe shaped or square. The thickness of the sides depended
somewhat on the form and type of decoration; in most cases the
ends were rounded. Details depended on the type of decoration.
This might consist of bold representations in high relief as the
heads of a frog, a thunderbird, a seal or an eagle or of a flat,
deeply incised, more or less elaborate, symbolic (but not heraldic)
design. These dishes were highly polished, but designs were not
outlined in colour as they were on storage chests; (though in
order to emphasize design the outlines are thus defined in Plate
10, Figure 6). Decoration carried round the sides was conven-
tional in character as were the borders often seen on the rims
of the dishes. In some cases these were confined to inlays of
opercula; others were left undecorated. Very small trays, bent
fron a single board, bore only very simple geometrical patterns
with occasional end designs adjusted to their size.

Shallow oval dishes moulded from horn might show bold de-
corative designs at each end with ornamental borders round the
rim, of which the apparent object was to frame the edge of the
dish which otherwise would appear to end abruptly. These were
chiefly used to hold grease or fish oil, valuable commodities;

LG Be