Superb Antique 19 century

hand carved wood

N W Pacific American Indian

Raven Steals the Sun Mask

Hand carved wood mask,
face covered in leather,
reused brass and white stone inlay,
Raven Stealing the Sun inlay on forehead
made from hand shaped stone beads



Approx. 8 centimeters height and 24.5 centimeters in diameter at the widest

Excellent condition

Newly attached leather strap with a nail on the back for hanging on the wall

View pictures for more detail

Raven Steals the Sun legend

According to a Haida story, in the beginning the world was in totaldarkness.The Raven, who had existed from the beginning of time, was tired ofgroping about and bumping into things in the dark.Eventually the Raven came upon the home of an old man who lived alonewith his daughter. Through his slyness, the Raven learned that the old man hada great treasure. This was all the light in the universe, contained in a tinybox concealed within many boxes. At once the Raven vowed to stealthe light. He thought and thought, and finally came up with a plan. He waited untilthe old man's daughter came to the river to gather water. Then the Ravenchanged himself into a single hemlock needle and dropped himself into theriver, just as the girl was dipping her water-basket into the river. As she drank from the basket, she swallowed the needle. It slipped andslithered down into her warm belly, where the Raven transformed himself again,this time into a tiny human. After sleeping and growing there for a very longtime, at last the Raven emerged into the world once more, this time as a humaninfant.Even though he had a rather strange appearance, the Raven's grandfatherloved him. But the old man threatened dire punishment if he ever touched theprecious treasure box. Nonetheless the Ravenchild begged and begged to beallowed to hold the light just for a moment. In time the old man yielded, and lifted from the box a warm and glowingsphere, which he threw to his grandson. As the light was moving toward him, the human child transformed into agigantic black shadowy bird-form, wings spread ready for flight, and beak openin anticipation. As the beautiful ball of light reached him, the Raven capturedit in his beak! Moving his powerful wings, he burst through the smokehole in the roof ofthe house, and escaped into the darkness with his stolen treasure. And that is how light came into the universe.