The Ancient Forgotten Art

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The artifact shown in the image is one of the most celebrated examples of Palaeo-Eskimo art. This tiny ivory mask was excavated from the Tyara site, a 2,000-year-old village on the south shore of Hudson Strait. This distinctive mask has a tapered oval shape, while the upper margin of the forehead is concave and rises to a point at either end, suggestive of "ears". These ears, combined with the narrowly tapered lower face, give a vaguely animal-like quality to an image that is essentially and serenely human. The relationship between humans and animals is a recurring motif in Palaeo-Eskimo art, and was obviously an important aspect of their religious beliefs.