Comb

Unknown

ca. 1680 · Moose antler · The American Wing

On this expertly carved comb, two animated figures wearing frock coats—likely a Native American and a Euro-American—face one another. Each has one arm raised in greeting, perhaps marking a diplomatic exchange or treaty. Possibly created by a Seneca artist — the westernmost member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy — metal and tipped tools were used to form the individual teeth, delicate dot and line borders, and cutout designs. Today, Haudenosaunee artists still produce antler, bone, and other combs featuring animals and human figures.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1680

Medium

Moose antler

Culture

Seneca or Susquehannock, Native American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of Native American Art, Gift of Charles and Valerie Diker, 2019