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Tools

The tools of Igloolik men and women attest to their ingenuity and creativity. They made each tool from resources available on the land, and in making them they showed a deep understanding of their environment and an ability to design solutions to everyday challenges. Each tool was also designed with care and precision. As such, it reflects not only a practical need but also the great richness of the culture.

 

Objects to discoverTest your knowledge

Objects to discover

Shovel made of white bone, seen from the front, showing a slightly curved handle. The leather scoop, beige on one side and dark brown on the other, is sewn along the edges of its frame. A hand-grip made of white bone, attached by a leather strap, is positioned in the middle of the shovel.

Snow shovel (puaqriti)

The handle, frame, and hand-grip of this snow shovel are made of caribou antler.
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Long, finely polished spoon made of bone. One end is broad and rounded, and the other is thin and narrow. The surface of the utensil is smooth and slightly curved.

Marrow spoon (paqquti)

This spoon was generally made of caribou upper-leg bone and used to scoop out and eat the marrow...
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Two ice chisels, lying alongside each other. Each of them has a long wooden handle, a white stone head, and a point carved out of rock. One of them is turned over, showing how its head is firmly held in place by a strap wrapped around the handle.

Long-handled ice chisel (tuuq)

Each ice chisel (tuuq) has a wooden handle and a bone or caribou-antler head with a firmly...
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Tool with a white bone handle, which is engraved with deep, regular diagonal lines. A worn, curved metal blade is joined to one end of the handle, showing signs of rust.

Carving tool (saviruaq)

Men used this tool, named a saviruaq, to carve small objects and engrave details on solid...
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Bow drill made of white bone, two drills with wooden handles and metal bits, and little bones that have turned yellow, seen from above. The bow is slightly curved and has notches at both ends for a string, which is missing here. It also has a line of three small holes.

Bow-drill set

The set is composed of a caribou-antler bowl (pitirsiraq) whose string is missing, two drills...
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Wooden harpoon with a white bone point, tied together by a leather strap. Another leather strap is joined to a small float in the form of a yellowish inflatable pouch.

Fishing harpoon with float

This wooden spear has a caribou-antler point and a seal-bladder float.
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Do you want to test your knowledge?

Quiz
Click, hold and drag the mouse over available choices and associate them with the corresponding avatar. If you choose incorrectly, the boxes will not connect.Drag and drop icon

You wish to drill through the lake ice in autumn. Which tool should you use?

Two ice chisels, lying alongside each other. Each of them has a long wooden handle, a white stone head, and a point carved out of rock. One of them is turned over, showing how its head is firmly held in place by a strap wrapped around the handle.
Long, finely polished spoon made of bone. One end is broad and rounded, and the other is thin and narrow. The surface of the utensil is smooth and slightly curved.
Bow drill made of white bone, two drills with wooden handles and metal bits, and little bones that have turned yellow, seen from above. The bow is slightly curved and has notches at both ends for a string, which is missing here. It also has a line of three small holes.
Tool with a white bone handle, which is engraved with deep, regular diagonal lines. A worn, curved metal blade is joined to one end of the handle, showing signs of rust.
A bundled-up person in a snowy landscape holds a sphere with a question mark, standing near an icy water hole under a calm sky.

You wish to scoop out and eat marrow from a bone. Which tool should you use?

Two ice chisels, lying alongside each other. Each of them has a long wooden handle, a white stone head, and a point carved out of rock. One of them is turned over, showing how its head is firmly held in place by a strap wrapped around the handle.
Long, finely polished spoon made of bone. One end is broad and rounded, and the other is thin and narrow. The surface of the utensil is smooth and slightly curved.
Bow drill made of white bone, two drills with wooden handles and metal bits, and little bones that have turned yellow, seen from above. The bow is slightly curved and has notches at both ends for a string, which is missing here. It also has a line of three small holes.
Tool with a white bone handle, which is engraved with deep, regular diagonal lines. A worn, curved metal blade is joined to one end of the handle, showing signs of rust.
A person in Arctic gear sits on a mat holding a mystery sphere, with tools and a piece of meat nearby on a snowy, sandy terrain.

You wish to make a hole in a piece of caribou antler. Which tool should you use?

Two ice chisels, lying alongside each other. Each of them has a long wooden handle, a white stone head, and a point carved out of rock. One of them is turned over, showing how its head is firmly held in place by a strap wrapped around the handle.
Long, finely polished spoon made of bone. One end is broad and rounded, and the other is thin and narrow. The surface of the utensil is smooth and slightly curved.
Bow drill made of white bone, two drills with wooden handles and metal bits, and little bones that have turned yellow, seen from above. The bow is slightly curved and has notches at both ends for a string, which is missing here. It also has a line of three small holes.
Tool with a white bone handle, which is engraved with deep, regular diagonal lines. A worn, curved metal blade is joined to one end of the handle, showing signs of rust.
A person in winter clothes kneels on snow, examining a large tusk with a mysterious sphere marked by a question mark beside it.

You wish to engrave details on your carving. Which tool should you use?

Two ice chisels, lying alongside each other. Each of them has a long wooden handle, a white stone head, and a point carved out of rock. One of them is turned over, showing how its head is firmly held in place by a strap wrapped around the handle.
Long, finely polished spoon made of bone. One end is broad and rounded, and the other is thin and narrow. The surface of the utensil is smooth and slightly curved.
Bow drill made of white bone, two drills with wooden handles and metal bits, and little bones that have turned yellow, seen from above. The bow is slightly curved and has notches at both ends for a string, which is missing here. It also has a line of three small holes.
Tool with a white bone handle, which is engraved with deep, regular diagonal lines. A worn, curved metal blade is joined to one end of the handle, showing signs of rust.
A person in a hooded parka examines a small polar bear sculpture on a table, with a question mark over the bear.