The Native Village Buried By A Mudslide For 500 Years — And The 55,000 Artifacts Found Preserved Beneath The Mud
The gray whale and the humpback whale were the primary targets of Makah whalers.
These are large, powerful animals.
A gray whale can reach 45 feet in length and weigh more than 30 tons.
Taking such an animal from an open wooden canoe, using hand-thrown harpoons and an elaborate system of float and line management, required preparation, skill, knowledge, and a cultural framework that invested the entire process with deep meaning.
The harpoon itself was a multi-component tool.
The foreshaft, the main shaft, the toggling harpoon head, the line, and the sealskin floats that kept the struck animal at the surface were all separate components that had to work together precisely.
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