Summary of the Item
A rare piece of Alaskan ethnographic history, this folding wooden peg calendar (cisllaat) is an authentic artifact of Russian Orthodox devotional life among Indigenous Alaskan communities, such as the Alutiiq, Unangan (Aleut), or Tlingit. Hand-carved from wood with early leather hinges designed for travel, portable peg calendars like this allowed hunters, readers, and community members traveling between remote villages or seasonal hunting camps to track days, strict fasting periods, and major feast days without needing printed paper almanacs.
First introduced to coastal Alaska by Russian seafarers and Orthodox missionaries coming from Kamchatka in the mid-1700s, peg calendars were quickly adopted and refined by Native craftspeople, remaining an essential tool of daily spiritual life well into the early 20th century. Constructed as a compact folding case bound with leather hinges, the piece features precisely drilled peg holes organized across the days of the week, months, and specific liturgical observances. Users advanced a peg day-by-day to maintain accurate church time while on seasonal journeys across land and sea. Included in the images are a breakdown of the meaning of some of the marks on the calendar.
This calendar maps out key Orthodox feasts—such as the Nativity (Dec 25–27), Theophany (Jan 6), Transfiguration (Aug 6), and Dormition of the Theotokos (Aug 15)—according to the traditional, un-revised Julian calendar baseline. Because the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska maintained the Old Style calendar despite the 1918 civil calendar shift, these traditional dates remained standard across Alaskan parishes. Comparable examples are preserved in major museum collections, including the Anchorage Museum (Accession #1977.012.002), the Alaska State Museum (Accession #2001-10-1), and the National Museum of the American Indian.
Condition: Antique condition consistent with age and authentic daily use, featuring a rich aged wood patina, hand-carved detailing, and natural wear including a break in one of the leather hinge mechanisms. Includes partial shop inventory tags on the reverse.
