Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples (thereafter, HMNP) has so far collected two copper knives with a Y-shapcd handle, which are altribuしeel to Athabascan/ Dene cultures. In this paper, we compare them with similar items housed in other museums and examine the distribution and usage of such knives. The materials we use in our analysis include historical records, drawings and photographs during the period between the encl of l8th centu1y and early 20th century. We point out the possibility that

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... e Hare Indian may have used knives with a Y-shaped handle. 'vVc also discuss such knives as prestige goods in addition to their practical advanrage as a hunting implement. Researchers of indigenous North American metallurgy have already suggested that both practicality and prestige were attributed to Athabascan copper artifacts in general until the former half of the 20th century. The prior sしud1es tend to focus on copper as trade items when they discuss prestige of such materials. In this paper, we argue that Athabascan copper knives can be considered as practical-yet・ prestigious goods not only because copper was considered precious trade items but also because it enabled people to hunt grir,zly bears and other potentially dangerous animals. In ALhabascan societies, where hunling and fishing are primary modes of subsistence, traditionalヽpear hunting of griuly hears used to bring a fame to succcssf ul hunters, and iL was the Y-shaped handle of Athabascan copper knives that ensured the bear hunter•s safety. In the last chapter, we analyze one of the knives housed in HMNP to shed light on its uniqueness among other Athabascan knives. *、l tif1i迅立北方民族tlり物館学訟以(I lokl<aido Museum of Northern Peoples) **北悔道人学アイヌ