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• Punuk artist
• Alaska
• 800-1200 CE
• Walrus ivory
• Funds from F.H. Douglas, 1949.1904

Designed to protect the archer’s wrist from the slap of the bowstring when an arrow is released, this wrist guard is attributed to the people who lived on the Punuk Islands, located off the coasts of Alaska and Russia in the Bering Sea. Intricate carvings of lines, animals, and small circles adorn its surface, rendered with care to honor the spirit of the hunted animal. For a hunter to achieve success, it was essential to show respect for the animal’s spirit, and one way to do this was through the elaborate decoration of their tools.