The artistic culture of the Eskimo people dates back around 4,000 year in parts of Canada. This form of traditional art consisted mainly of small objects like tools and weapons. It also features small miniature-size animals curved out of ivory, stones and huge bones. The elements of inspiration for Eskimo art reflected the lifestyle they embraced as fishermen and hunters, together with their vast mythology.
About 2,000 years B. C, there was the arctic small tool tradition and this was actually among the very first ones. It depicts what the Eskimos who were residents of the arctic north of America did. The kind of tools they used featured small cutting edges and was made out of stone. Later, this tradition would split into two options which were pre-Dorset tradition and the smaller independent traditions.
The Pre-Dorset culture was in 2,500 BC in areas of Northwestern Canada and parts of Western Greenland. Small tools were still common in this period just like in earlier years. The Pre-Dorset period evolved to become the Dorset Nation. This was around 500 BC and in this period, art started having a distinct impact in society, with common materials such as bones, ivory and stones. The most common was figurative art, which involved production of art like masks and sculptures.
The Dorset period dominated most parts of Northeastern Canada from 900 to 1,100 AD. Greenland hosted Vikings towards the south and spread into Iceland. According to many historians, the interactions between native Eskimos and Vikings were represented in Dorset masks that portrayed European facial features. These included longer noses and that some of the masks appeared to have head gears, which was a typical practice among the Vikings.
During the transition period from the Pre-Dorset to the Dorset period, new forms of civilizations were cropping up on the side of Canada. Around 500 BC, the Ipiutak art occurred in parts of Alaska. The Ipiutak kind of art used similar line art plus an array of semi-human faces, animal representations and human faces brought out in beastly forms. The pieces of art also incorporated joint and skeletal markings.
Out of all animals, wild and domesticated, to have dominated majority of sculpture type and motif art work among this type, the polar bear has been the most common form of inspiration. It has unified culture and given a sense of understanding towards historical culture.
The historic and modern eras have seen diversity among this form of art, inspired by nature, necessity and creativity. Introduction of textiles within the Inuit form of art around the 1940's saw life-size sculptures come into play and art among the Eskimo took a different root.
During the 19th century, curved masks came into existence and these were used for varied rituals among the Eskimos. Even though we can trace back the history of modern art amongst the Eskimos to 1940s, we need to appreciate the support that Canadians have injected into this art. Today, this art features curved images that are made from soapstone, rough whalebone as well as ivory.
The Canadian Government recognizes the economic and cultural benefits of Eskimo and other isolated communities in the Arctic. It has encouraged preservation of both contemporary and historic Eskimo art.
About 2,000 years B. C, there was the arctic small tool tradition and this was actually among the very first ones. It depicts what the Eskimos who were residents of the arctic north of America did. The kind of tools they used featured small cutting edges and was made out of stone. Later, this tradition would split into two options which were pre-Dorset tradition and the smaller independent traditions.
The Pre-Dorset culture was in 2,500 BC in areas of Northwestern Canada and parts of Western Greenland. Small tools were still common in this period just like in earlier years. The Pre-Dorset period evolved to become the Dorset Nation. This was around 500 BC and in this period, art started having a distinct impact in society, with common materials such as bones, ivory and stones. The most common was figurative art, which involved production of art like masks and sculptures.
The Dorset period dominated most parts of Northeastern Canada from 900 to 1,100 AD. Greenland hosted Vikings towards the south and spread into Iceland. According to many historians, the interactions between native Eskimos and Vikings were represented in Dorset masks that portrayed European facial features. These included longer noses and that some of the masks appeared to have head gears, which was a typical practice among the Vikings.
During the transition period from the Pre-Dorset to the Dorset period, new forms of civilizations were cropping up on the side of Canada. Around 500 BC, the Ipiutak art occurred in parts of Alaska. The Ipiutak kind of art used similar line art plus an array of semi-human faces, animal representations and human faces brought out in beastly forms. The pieces of art also incorporated joint and skeletal markings.
Out of all animals, wild and domesticated, to have dominated majority of sculpture type and motif art work among this type, the polar bear has been the most common form of inspiration. It has unified culture and given a sense of understanding towards historical culture.
The historic and modern eras have seen diversity among this form of art, inspired by nature, necessity and creativity. Introduction of textiles within the Inuit form of art around the 1940's saw life-size sculptures come into play and art among the Eskimo took a different root.
During the 19th century, curved masks came into existence and these were used for varied rituals among the Eskimos. Even though we can trace back the history of modern art amongst the Eskimos to 1940s, we need to appreciate the support that Canadians have injected into this art. Today, this art features curved images that are made from soapstone, rough whalebone as well as ivory.
The Canadian Government recognizes the economic and cultural benefits of Eskimo and other isolated communities in the Arctic. It has encouraged preservation of both contemporary and historic Eskimo art.
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