A Mystery Item at The Whitby Museum: Some kind of Effigy

http://www.whitbymuseum.org.uk/collections/scoresby4.htm

Apparently they've had it in the collection since 1823, and just recently found out they've had it misidentified all this time. There's no info about how or from whom they acquired it, which would be good to know.

Inuit items collection

Arctic figure of unknown origin and purpose

This figure is around 450 mm (18") tall and is made of skin wetted and stretched over wood, with some metal fastenings. It has an oval base and is described as being from a model kayak. It weighs around 2 kilos (4lb) which is unusually heavy because Arctic peoples moved frequently so their possessions were light and portable. Also wood and metal were scarce.

So far we have found nothing similar in the collections of other museums. The style and workmanship do not look European.

The Museum would like to hear from you if you have any information about our strange figure, or if you have seen anything similar.

http://www.whitbymuseum.org.uk/collections/scoresby4.htm

The larger, first picture above came from this website,
http://christt.com/words/the-poo-aesthetic/ about all the way down the page.

Somehow I ended up finding this mystery item in a totally unrelated internet search. Thought I'd post it here for you all to puzzle over, too. As if we don't have enough things to puzzle over on this forum.

 

Depicts a Martian visitor, IMO. It is known that they had an image of of their home planet on their shirts, so that settles it for me.

 

Seems like they could at least ID the skin ("made of skin wetted and stretched over wood"). Hope it isn't human skin! Then again, as it is Martian, they haven't any samples, DNA, to compare it to.

--- Susan

 

Maybe circus freak show prop, that is if it isn't a genuine artifact.

 

When I first read the write-up on the blog, I thought it said "seal skin". On rereading, I see it says "real skin". Yikes!
Maybe it was cuter when it was new.

 

Doubt that!

 

Were the Inuit even using metal in any way that long ago?

 

Eegad! I just googled the Whitby Museum. Go, thou, and do likewise. the hand of glory beats out this thing!

 

In the 1780s the Russians established a trading post near the Bering Strait, visited yearly by Chukchi and Inuit traders.

 

Hey Mr. London......what's your take on this strange item.
any Inuit relation ?

 

Orca bait/lure.

 

Wrong century for me I'm afraid.

 

I think it's an Ood.