A sea otter clasps the food in its fore paws. Sea otters feed while floating on their backs. They break open shellfish on their abdomens. The function of this sculpture is not clear but it may have connection with religious practices. Ordinary objects like hunting knifes or eating utensils were not carved in animal forms. The sea otter was a major prey for Ainu hunters of Sakhalin and the Kuriles, the islands to the north of Japan. Ainu hunted whales with harpoons in small open boats. They worshipped a sea otter god, as well as the salmon god and the bear god. When an animal had been captured and killed its spirit had to be sent back to the world of the gods. There were special rituals for sending the spirit back. The best known ritual is the bear feast.