Chukchi Sea Ribbon Seal

Chukchi Sea Ribbon Seal
walrus ivory, ink pigment
1.25”h x 4.75” l x 2”w

This beautiful ribbon seal was created by award winning Siberian Yupik artist Alvin Aningayou. Inspired by the marine life of Saint Lawrence Island, Alvin carved this unique piece from a beautiful piece of walrus ivory carefully stippling pigment onto the surface to create the fine detail and individual character of this wonderful seal. The work is signed.

Ribbon seals are among the most striking and easily recognizable seals in the world. The ribbon seal gets its name from the distinctive adult coat pattern of light-colored bands or “ribbons” on a dark background.

Ribbon seals inhabit the North Pacific Ocean and adjacent southern parts of the Arctic Ocean. In U.S. waters, they are found off the coast of Alaska in the Bering Sea and in the Chukchi and western Beaufort Seas. Ribbon seals are considered relatively solitary, spending most of their time in the open ocean and forming loose aggregations on pack ice during spring to give birth, nurse pups, and molt. As such, they are sensitive to changes in the environment that affect the timing and extent of sea ice formation and breakup.

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Ribbon seals, like all marine mammals, are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. (source: NOAA Fisheries)

Alaska Native ivory art is highly collectable but it is important to be an educated buyer. For more information refer to Alaska Native Ivory brochure from the U.S. Department of the Interior – Indian Arts and Crafts Board online: https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/iacb_alaska_ivory_brochure_2018_web.pdf