adze

Unknown artist

1885 or earlier

Canadian Museum of History

A wooden adze with a metal blade is shown against a plain background. A scale bar and label are visible in the foreground. Trees are the most important resource of the land, and first among them are the red cedars. With their soft, straight-grained wood, these giant trees are excellent for carving. As carvers, the Pacific Coast Indians are unequalled on this continent. From cedar wood they can produce very high quality canoes, houses large enough for several families, weapons and tools, boxes, chests and other furniture, dishes, bowls, spoons and watertight cooking vessels, masks, rattles, whistles, and drums. In addition, from cedar bark, women make baskets, hats, mats and ropes, and weave…