The Alutiit/Sugpiat: A Catalog of the Collections of the Kunstkamera

This work catalogs the collection of nearly five hundred Alutiiq/Sugpiaq cultural items held by the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, or the Kunstkamera, in St. Petersburg, Russia. The book shares high quality images and context for the artifacts that were gathered between 1780 and 1867. The catalog is divided into three sections: The Katmais, The Kodiak Alutiit, and The Chugach. Many of the artifacts are composed of fur, feathers, gut, hair, and other delicate materials, which prevent their transport for display or study. Along with the images of artifacts, the book includes direct quotes from an array of primary and secondary sources to provide context for the artifacts. This book is a collaboration between the Kunstkamera and the Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak, Alaska. Together, anthropologists and members of the Alutiiq community combined the collection records with cultural knowledge and high-resolution digital imagery and worked to name objects, describe their uses, and detail the materials used in their construction.