Tactile bone map

This is a three-dimensional, tactile coastal map. Inuit hunters used them at night to help them navigate. They provided essential information on landmarks and distance. The hole drilled at the top shows how this one would have been attached to clothing or worn around the neck.

These maps were often made from driftwood. This particular map is made from Caribou antler. The maps were designed to be buoyant and tactile, so they could be read at night.

Visual description: A small, elongated piece of Caribou antler, measuring 12 centimetres in length. The antler is carved with various ridges and protrusions along its entire length and at each end. At the top of the antler, there is a small, drilled hole through which a piece of material could be threaded.