Haida birthing amulet - carved from black stone, features pregnant woman lying on down, crouching inwards to hug her tummy. She is wearing a birthing belt and her face indicates she is calm and happy :) The black stone is called K’aas hlGaa in Xaayda kil (K & G are underlined) and Argillite in English. Argillite is a soft carbonaceous shale. Haida argillite is unique to Haida Gwaii and is only found in one place on these islands.

K’aas hlGaa (argillite) birth amulet, Haida, c. 1800s, at Canadian Museum of History.

*K & G are underlined in K'aas hlGaa

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