On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.

Dagger

Attributed to Saayina aat Tlingit

Not on view

Forged from a single piece of iron, this dagger belongs to a group of related works whose subject is an emaciated shaman. The pommel has been transformed into a forbidding double-faced human head whose gaze and gaunt facial features may depict a being who fortified the weapon’s owner against evil forces. Perforations along the brow and the pierced septum of the figure’s aquiline nose may have once held adornments. The artist could have obtained the iron from a meteor or through trade. This work was an important heirloom passed down through the Lukaax.adi clan of Haines, Alaska, and was used in potlatch ceremonies.

Dagger, Attributed to Saayina aat (Tlingit), Iron, tanned leather, wool cloth, vegetal fiber, and human hair, Tlingit, Native American

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Dagger, Attributed to Saayina aat (Tlingit), Iron, tanned leather, wool cloth, vegetal fiber, and human hair, Tlingit, Native American
Dagger, Attributed to Saayina aat (Tlingit), Iron, tanned leather, wool cloth, vegetal fiber, and human hair, Tlingit, Native American
Dagger, Attributed to Saayina aat (Tlingit), Iron, tanned leather, wool cloth, vegetal fiber, and human hair, Tlingit, Native American
Dagger, Attributed to Saayina aat (Tlingit), Iron, tanned leather, wool cloth, vegetal fiber, and human hair, Tlingit, Native American
Dagger, Attributed to Saayina aat (Tlingit), Iron, tanned leather, wool cloth, vegetal fiber, and human hair, Tlingit, Native American
Dagger, Attributed to Saayina aat (Tlingit), Iron, tanned leather, wool cloth, vegetal fiber, and human hair, Tlingit, Native American

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.