Tlingit / Haida Cedar Headdress Frontlet, Inlaid Nacre

Native American, Northwestern United States / Canada British Columbia, Kwakwaka’wakw (Kwakiutl), Haida, or Tlingit, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. A decorative headdress frontlet carved from cedarwood and inlaid with nacre shells as the eyes and teeth. The imagery used would indicate clan or family affiliation and was often worn during potlatches; the wood would have been secured to a hide or cloth headdress and worn over the forehead. While dancing in firelight, the reflective abalone and dramatic visage must have been visually captivating!