Athabascan (Dene) Double Volute Dagger 9.25"

Description

Athabascan (Dene) Double Volute Dagger 9.25"
The dagger is made from a single piece of metal, possibly from a file or other steel product. It is characteristic of those made by the Dene (Athabascan) in the mid to late 1800's.
Prior to contact with Euro-Americans, the Athabascan people made their edged weapons from Native copper then switched to file or steel for their blades post contact. The unique handles with single or double volute motif may have been influenced by the eastern Algonkian people or may have older roots from the people of northern China or Siberia.  The Athabascan used these knives in a utilitarian manner. Some were attached to long staffs and used in hunting bear or were used to wound a moose or caribou driven into the water where a hunter could paddle near the animal and stab it with his dagger. On reaching shore, the wounded animal would be dispatched with bows and arrows or other weapons.
light to modest oxidation as pictured