Cattle Bone, Abalone shell, Cedar bark

Bentwood Box: Red Cedar wood

Commonly used by a Shaman, soul catchers were used to cleanse human souls and spirits. If a person was sick, or perhaps possessed by a demon spirit, the soul catcher was used to coerce the evil spirit out of the body.  The open ends were caped with cedar bark to hold the soul until it was cleansed and brought back from the spirit world. The healed soul of the recipient was then returned to the body by the Shaman by blowing through the soul catcher and into to the patient’s mouth.

The shape of the soul catcher is typically cut from animal bone in such a way that the ends are flared outward and the surface is carved with figures associated with the Shaman’s spirit guides. Spirit guides accompany the human spirit or soul on its transformative journey between worlds. The ends of the Soul Catcher were sealed to contain these spirits. They also protect the boundaries between the physical and spiritual world, keeping those involved in the healing ceremony safe from evil minded spirits and beings.  The symmetrical arrangement of the figures essentially defines objects of this type and the figures tend to more sculptural in appearance.

Soul catchers are extremely powerful and respected healing instruments; because of this, they were often housed in special bentwood boxes to keep them safe.

Soul Catcher: 1.25 x 7.75 x 1.25″

Including Stand: 4.75 x 7.75 x 1.5″

Bentwood Box: 4.75 x 10 x 6.25″