Eagle Warrior Helmet

Tlingit
Birch, Copper, Horse Hair
15.5” x 8.5” x 10”

Carved from a single upright log of birch, Calvin Morberg's Eagle Warrior Helmet continues a powerful Tlingit tradition of sculpted battle regalia. Traditionally, warrior helmets were carved to protect fighters in battle, but they also carried profound spiritual strength. By embodying clan crests, such as the Eagle and Wolf moiety of the Tlingit Nation, helmets summoned the power of those beings to shield and empower the wearer. The fierce visage, repoussé copper inlaid as eyes, teeth, and ears, and the horsehair adorning the helmet's brow signal both physical protection and spiritual authority. Immaculately carved and painted in red and black with oxidized-copper blue highlights, the helmet reflects the visual language of Tlingit formline design.

As a member of the Eagle Clan, Morberg affirms his deep connection to crest and lineage through this work. His Eagle Warrior Helmet bridges ancestral traditions of defense and identity with the vitality of contemporary Tlingit art.