Indian Horsehair
Native American indian artifact?
I was shopping in a thrift store and noticed some Native American items, but this one item , I have no idea what it is or was used for. Looks like a large artist brush?? The handle is approx. 10 inches long, and 1 1/2 inches wide. The handle when first looking at it looks to be bamboo, but is not, it is a hollowed out bone and is polished with carved lines making it look like bamboo. Coming out from one end is a bunch or tuft of soft greyish horsehair. The hair is approx. 4 inches , so total length is approx.14 inches. Any one know? thx : )
It sounds Asian. Bamboo is very important in Asia but isn't native to most of North America. I just learned that it is native to mid Atlantic south into South America. It could be but it is much more important in Asia where it is used for everything. It would be a bit strange, I think, for Americans to carve something to look like bamboo.