Totem Poles An Illustrated Guide

The massive wood carvings unique to the Indian peoples of theNorthwest Coast arouse a sense of wonder in all who see them. Thisguide helps the reader to understand and enjoy the form and meaning oftotem poles and other sculptures. The author describes the origin and place of totem poles in Indianculture -- as ancestral emblems, as expressions of wealth and power, asceremonial objects, as mythological symbols, and as magnificentartistic works of the people of the Pacific Northwest. Halpin also suggests ways to interpret the motifs and symbols carvedon the poles and shows how to recognize the special features whichreveal not only the skill of the carver but also his tribal origin.Halpin, Marjorie M. is the author of 'Totem Poles An Illustrated Guide', published 1981 under ISBN 9780774801416 and ISBN 0774801417.