Northwest Coast Bentwood Halibut hook

This is a really good example of the bentwood halibut hooks used by the Makah Indians on the Northern Washington coast. The wood has a rich dark brown color and is elegantly made. The ends are wrapped with a natural fiber and a bone barb is wrapped onto the larger end. It has a twisted sinew cord attached to the upper end which would have been attached to a wood float to keep the hook hanging vertically in the water. It also has a thin twisted sinew cord attached at the bottom end. The bottom edge of the hook is scarred from halibut teeth. The end of the tip at the upper end was broken off at some point.

L. 6"