Pair of unfinished SNOW GLASSES - Punuk culture (?), Alaska - Circa 800 - 1400 AD

Pair of unfinished SNOW GLASSES

Punuk culture (?), Alaska c. 800 - 1400 AD

Fossilized marine ivory

Length: 14.5cm

Amazing pair of glasses where neither the slits for the eyes nor the side perforations have been made. The inside of the eye sockets had started to be hollowed out, as well as the notch for the nose.

These characteristic glasses of the Far North were used to reduce the intensity of the sun's rays and preserve the retina from glare and reverberations on snow and ice.

Text and photos © FCP CORIDON