Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Here on Cape Cod, we are fortunate to have an abundance of whales in our waters during the summer and spring, making whale watching a favorite activity for visitors and residents alike. But people have also been hunting whales for thousands of years. Norwegians were among the first to hunt whales, as early as 4,000 years ago. The Japanese may have been doing so even earlier.
Nearly every part of the whale was used. Meat, skin, blubber, and organs were eaten as a source of protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Baleen was woven into baskets and used as fishing line. In warmer climates, baleen was also used as a roofing material. Bones were used primarily for toolmaking and carving ceremonial items such as masks. And teeth, particularly those of the sperm whale, were made into scrimshaw.
The AFSC is excited to present Becalmed and Homesick: The Heart of Scrimshaw, with Mary Everett-Patriquin of the Cape Cod Maritime Museum.
Scrimshaw was a unique art form of the nineteenth century, made by sailors on whaling ships, using the teeth of sperm whales. In this Zoom presentation, Mary will describe how scrimshaw was made, the different kinds of things sailors made, the types of decoration they used, and the lives of the sailors who made it.
ABOUR MARY EVERETT-PATRIQUIN:
Mary Everett-Patriquin holds a Master's degree in Anthropology and Museum Studies from Arizona State University. Her last position was as Assistant Director of a small museum and archaeological site in Phoenix. After moving to the Cape to be closer to family, she started as the Cape Cod Maritime Museum's Public Programs Coordinator in May of 2019. Although from a land-locked part of the upper Midwest, she loves Cape Cod and learning about the sea.
To register for this program, please click here: SCRIMSHAW
Be sure to include your name, the names of those who will be joining you, a phone number, and the physical address you'll be calling in from. We will send a Zoom link in advance of the program. |
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