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Image: Early 20th century? Salish funerary box

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Description: This is an outstanding example of a high relief sculptural style that central Coast Salish artists used to decorate grave (funerary) boxes and mortuary houses in honour of respected members of important families. The engraving on the pedestal display depicts sillhqey, a 2-headed snake which is associated with spiritual power. On the front panel, in high relief, are 4 animals identified as sxwamatsan, fishers. Effigies of these animals are in a ritual of spritual cleansing. Its representation procliams the family's high status. This memorial box was dismantled in 1935 by its owners and sold to the Museum of Man--now the Canadian Museum of Civilisation in Hull, Quebec. It is presently on loan to UBC's Museum of Anthropology. Its call number is Canadian Museum of Anthropology VII-G359 a-g, artist unknown.
Title: Early 20th century? Salish funerary box
Credit: Own work
Author: Leoboudv
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
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