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A figure that names a lineage.
Also known as: Totem pole figure, Lineage crest carving
The Northwest Coast carved figure identifying the lineage entitled to display it.
Identify the crests, and so the lineage and history, of the family that raised the pole.
Contexts: History, Public information
A crest is held by a lineage and may not be displayed by others, so a pole is a statement of entitlement rather than a decorative arrangement of animals.
Contexts: History, Public information
The figures are not objects of worship, a misconception old enough to be embedded in the English phrase used for the poles.
Contexts: History, Public information
Stacked carved figures of animals and beings on a standing cedar pole, each rendered in formline and each identifying a crest.
A fuller structured visual breakdown is not yet documented for this symbol.