pair of seal skin boots, tan in color with black bands of fabric at top folds; bands have two thin embroidered lines, one that is yellow in color and one that is a pale green in color

Pair of seal-skin boots for a woman (tukar-ker), early 19th century

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In temperate weather, Ainu typically went barefoot. Footwear was used for hunting on snow and ice. From late autumn to early summer, the Sakhalin Ainu hunted seals for fur, meat, and oil. This pair of boots is made of sealskin sewn together with animal sinew. Light, hard-wearing, and water-resistant, sealskin was an ideal material whose popularity and utility were shared by other Pacific Rim cultures, including the Nivkh of Siberia and the Inuit of North America.

Details
Title
Pair of seal-skin boots for a woman (tukar-ker)
Role
Maker
Accession Number
2019.20.33a,b
Provenance
Okamura Kichiemon (in 1993)
Catalogue Raisonne
Murray et al. 2018, pl. 27
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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pair of seal skin boots, tan in color with black bands of fabric at top folds; bands have two thin embroidered lines, one that is yellow in color and one that is a pale green in color