SFU’s Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology’s Argillite Collection

This collection contains four spectacular pieces that date from between the 1820’s to 1976. One of the pieces is a rectangular platter with bone and/or ivory inlays around its perimeter edges. The center of the platter depicts stylized European figures. The smaller oval platter was carved circa 1990 and has shell inlay around the outer edge. The figure represented is a dogfish head and a split image of a serpent. This piece was collected by Reverend George H. Raley. One of the more contemporary pieces is an argillite pole. The pole was carved by Rufus Moody in 1974 and was donated to the museum by Dr. and Mrs. Green. The figures represented in the pole are as follows: Eagle, Mythical Bear, Bear with Salmon, Hawk with Killer Whale, and Bear with Killer Whale. Another piece in the collection is a representation of the sun. The sun was carved in 1976 by Ed Simeon. The piece includes the incorporation of carved bronze and silver inlay.