Artifact of the Month
Archive of Previous Artifacts of the Month
Several artifact information sheets are posted in PDF format. PDFs can be viewed within your browser or a PDF viewer like Adobe Acrobat.
2019
- January: Mask (Yup'ik)
2018
- December: Ivory bowl (Inupiaq)
- November: Seal skin balls (Inupiaq)
- October: Ivory cribbage board (Inupiaq)
- September: Spruce root oval mat (Tlingit)
- August: Spruce root basket (Tlingit)
- July: Combs (Yup'ik)
- June: Spoons/Dippers (Inupiaq)
- May: Harpoon foreshafts (Yup'ik)
- April: Headdress (Alutiiq)
- March: Spruce root baskets (Tlingit)
- February: Stone lamp (Yup'ik)
- January: Model Dance Scene (Yup'ik)
2017
- December: Dolls (Cup'ik)
- November: Birch basket/bag (Tsimshian)
- October: Ivory pieces (Inupiat)
- August: feasting bowl (Tlingit)
- July: mukluks (Inupiaq)
- June: throwing boards
- May: Seal gut
- April: Baskets (Tsimshian)
- March: Moccasins
- February: Whale baleen
- January: Anaktuvuk Pass Mask
2016
- December: mask (Yup'ik)
- November: plaited baleen bag (Inupiaq)
- October: wooden dance fans or finger masks (Yup'ik)
- September: birch basket by Teri Rofkar (Tlingit)
- August: wolf mask (Yup'ik)
- July: halibut hook
- June: Nushagak basket (Yup'ik)
- May: Yup'ik wooden dish or agaayaat
- April: Bag made of gut skin (sea lion intestines)
- March: Bird arrowheads
- February: 19th century meat tenderizer
- January: Yup'ik sewing bag
2015
- December: 19th Century Northwest Coast silver spoons
- November: Tlingit telescoping spruce root basket
- October: Yup’ik seal intestine pouch
- September: Yup'ik clay lamp and pottery paddle
- August: Inupiat ulus
- July: Carlo-Kendall mask
- June: Tlingit dance bib made by contemporary artist Chloe French
- May: Inupiaq/Yup'ik mask by Drew Michael
- April: Ursula Paniyak Doll (Cup'ik)
- March: Land otter made of bone (Tlingit carving)
- February: Tlingit wall pocket
- January: Fish Skin Mask
2014
- December Artifact of the Month: Carved Animals
- November Artifact of the Month: Fishing Lures
- October Artifact of the Month: Snow Goggles and a Visor
- September Artifact of the Month: Contemporary Mask by Inupiaq Artist
- August Artifact of the Month: Tlingit Spruce Root Baskets
- July Artifact of the Month: Unangan Grass Basket
- June Artifact of the Month: Tlingit Feasting Dish
- May Artifact of the Month: Contemporary Human Bear Helmet
- April Artifacts of the Month: Stone Tools
- March Artifacts of the Month: Snuff Boxes Collected by Sheldon Jackson
- February Artifact of the Month: Haida Argillite Platter
- January Artifact of the Month: Three Painted Tlingit Model Totem Poles
2013
- December Artifact of the Month: Iñupiaq Model Kayak
- November Artifact of the Month: Cribbage Board
- October Artifact of the Month: Iñupiaq masks
- September Artifact of the Month: Athabascan Birch Bark Baskets
- August Artifact of the Month: Tlingit Octopus Bag
- July Artifact of the Month: Yup'ik Dish
- June Artifact of the Month: Tlingit Moccasins
- May Artifact of the Month: Tlingit Drum and Beater
- April Artifact of the Month: Hunting Hat from Anvik
- March Artifact of the Month: Pair of Siberian Boots
- February Artifact of the Month: Small Sled from Cape Prince of Wales
- January Artifact of the Month: Nunivak Island Bird Arrows
2012
- December Artifact of the Month: 1827 Russian Painting
- October Artifact of the Month: Alutiiq Mask
- September Artifact of the Month: Hemp Socks from the Kuskokwim River
- August Artifact of the Month: Siberian Bola
- July Artifact of the Month: Fish skin sewing kit from the Lower Yukon region
- June Artifacts of the Month: Two Bentwood Hats From Anvik
- May Artifacts of the Month: Selection of human figurines
- April Artifact of the Month: Pair of Nushagak Masks
- March Artifact of the Month: Engraved Octagonal Pipe
- February Artifact of the Month: Ceremonial Headpiece
- January Artifact of the Month: Alutiiq Kayak Model
2011
- December: Mask from Anvik
- November: Inupiat Harpoon Blade Boxes
- October: Point Hope Mask
- September: Strands of Glass Beads
- August: Wooden Batten from King Island
- July: Tsimshian Eagle Plaque
- June: Athabascan Gift Stick
- May: Pair of Yup’ik Dolls from Goodnews Bay
- April: Drawings by Robert Mayokok
- March: Aleut Basketry Hat
- February: Two reproductions of old Tlingit carvings
- January: Painting of Horse Creek Mary
2010
- December: Tlingit bone armor
- November: Raven's Tail Bag
- October: Innocent Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna Portrait
- September: Tlingit Killer Whale Spoon
- August: Tlingit Deer Hoof Rattle
- July: Tlingit Silver Souvenir Spoon
- June: Tlingit Copper Spoon
- May: Jumbo Spruce Root Basket
- April: Rudolph Walton Silver Spoon
- March: Ethel Washington Inupiat Dolls
- February: Charles Edenshaw Spoon
- January: Kayak Model
2009
- December: Yu'pik Child's Parka
- November: Navajo Weaver Model
- October: Aleut/Alutiq Boots
- September: Athabascan Drum and Beater
- August: Yup'ik Mask
- July: Tlingit Spruce Root Collection Plate
- June: Wood and Metal Inupiaq Pipe
- April: Silver Souvenir Spoons
- March: Haida Spruce Root Basket
- February: Miniature Tlingit Feast Bowl
- January: Argillite Ship Panel Pipe
2008
- December: Tlingit Basket
- November: Ojibwa Birch Bark and Porcupine Quill Box
- October: Athabascan dagger and sheath
- September: Yup'ik Fish Trap and Kayak Model
- August: stone pendant
- July: Athabascan Willow Root Basket
- June: Yup'ik Eskimo clay pot
- May: Mystery stone ball
- April: Kotzebue Sound bird net
- March: Tlingit spruce root basket
- February: Tlingit carved silver napkin rings
- January: Tlingit silver souvenir spoon
2007
- December: Tlingit carved copper spoon
- November: California obsidian projectile point
- October: spruce root basket
- September: Tlingit carved silver spoon
- August: Eskimo Men's Bowl
- July: Memorabilia of President Harding's visit to the museum
- June: Inupiaq drum
- May: Wrangell garnet
- April: Ivory and silver cribbage board
- March: Tlingit model dance paddles
- February: Arctic engraved projectile piece
- January: Spruce root basket
2006
- December: Siberian ice scoop
- November: Northern California soapweed brush
- October: Tsimshian silver spoon
- September: Siberian child's bow
- August: Tsimshian cedar basket
- July: Tlingit carved silver souvenir spoons
- June: Inupiaq ivory bow drill
- May: 19th Century surgical case and equipment
- April: Eskimo lance points
- March: Kat-le-an's night stick and handcuffs
- February: Child-sized Tlingit moccasins
- January: Haida spoons of wood and horn
2005
- December: Inupiat ice creepers from Wales
- November: Ojibwe birch bark basket
- October: Tlingit beaded eagle emblem
- September: Aleut stone lamp
- August: Tlingit bone knife
- July: Athabascan moccasins
- June: Inupiat ivory ladle
- May: Theodore Richardson watercolor
- April: Tlingit silver souvenir pieces
- March: Beaded spruce root basket
- February: Mammoth jawbone
- January: Tlingit red-corner bentwood box
2004
- December: Eskimo grass basket
- November: Winnowing basket
- October: Tlingit bone knife
- September: Athabascan moccasins
- August: Carved spoon
- July: Silver bracelets
- June: Grass basket
- May: Tlingit canoe model
- April: Eskimo paddle blade
- March: Woven grass basket
- February: Carved silver bracelet
- January: Child's fish skin parka
2003
To request one of our artifact's informational sheets, please contact Jackie Hamberg at jacqueline.fernandez-hamberg@alaska.gov.
- December: Eskimo pottery dish
- November: Hopi Kachina doll
- October: Carved Tlingit shaman doll
- September: Northwest Coast style canoe model
- August: Aleut grass mat
- July: Carved silver spoons
- June: Yup’ik caribou hide mukluks
- May: Tlingit grease dish
- April: Eskimo squirrel parka
- March: Tlingit basket making materials
- February: Aleut wall-pocket
- January: Kashevarof comb
2002
To request one of our artifact's informational sheets, please contact Jackie Hamberg at jacqueline.fernandez-hamberg@alaska.gov.
- December: Haida basket
- November: Plains Indian quill work
- October: Sea Lion Bowl
- September: Aleut doll set
- August: Cedar bark basket
- July: Athabascan mittens
- June: Eskimo hunting visor
- May: 1887 booklet on Muir Glacier
- April: Silver tongs
- March: Octopus bag
- February: Walrus skull and tusk
- January: Eskimo grass basket
