This ladle is in the form of a bird. The spoon is the bird's body, while the handle is the head and
neck. The only surface markings are the dots that represent the bird's eyes and the line that
indicates the opening of the bird's beak.
Woodlands people believed birds were spiritual creatures because they could soar to heights that
humans could not reach. Ladles carved in the form of a bird were often used for religious purposes. |