North West Coast argillite totem pole, inscribed "JL '78 Bella Bella", possibly John Lancaster (born 1960)
Size: 8 h
P19420
Argillite is a fine grained sedimentary rock composed mostly of hardened clay particles that have been subjected to heat and pressure over time to form a fine, uniform and easily workable material. Wet when quarried, it can be easily carved and polished before it hardens. Near Slatechuck Creek by Skidegate on Haida Gwaii is a quarry of argillite which is excavated by hand and carved into objects such as poles, jewellery, ornaments and dishes, often inlaid with abalone. Miniature argillite totem poles were introduced in the 1860’s and became increasingly popular, but the interest declined from circa 1920 to 1950. Early Master carver Charles Edenshaw is recognized as one of the most innovative artists working on the west coast and his work became an inspiration for the revival of argillite carving in the latter half of the 20th century.
