It's hard to say when. Totem poles are even being made today. There is an industry for them, and you can go to many Alaskan cities and see totem pole producers. A good place to view totem poles is in Totem Park, Alaska.
Totem poles have been made throughout the history of the Inuit People. When christian settlers, missionaries, invaded these areas they either convinced the Inuits to destroy them (seeing them as heathen forms of worship) or destroyed them themselves.
Currently the oldest still standing totem's are from the mid 1800's.
Before 1800's
Depends on what your asking. When was the first totem pole made? Long ago. Who made the first totem pole? Depends on how you define a totem pole. Wood or Stone? Detailed or not? Who made totem poles? There has been totem poles from Africa Tribes, American Indians, Vikings, and undoubtedly more.
Native American tribes in the Northwest part of North America including the Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and others build totem poles. They were symbols of clan wealth and prestige.
the first totem pole was made of the tall, strong trunks of cedar trees
Totem poles
Nobody knows where totem poles originated from, because there is no solid recorded evidence. All we can do is guess when they were first made. Many different cultures made totem poles, not just Native Americans. While poles made by Native American tribes are the most famously known, the Mayans, Aztecs, Native Canadians, Native Australians, Maori, ingenious Koreans and ingenious Chinese are also known to have built totem poles. Many of the poles tell a story, either of a battle, a great feat or a popular legend. Erected for the people of the tribe and visitors to see and remember the events carved into the pole. They were often also used by Native Australian tribes and Maori tribes to mark their territories, warning rival tribes that they are entering their land, as well as to tell stories like most totem poles. Aztec and Mayan totem poles were carved from stone, mostly limestone. The poles are carved with images or representations of great battles and representations of Gods. Ancient ingenious Chinese and Koreans erected small totems to signify their obedience to their Gods and respect to their ancestors. Anybody who claims the Native Americans were the first to build totem poles are actually incorrect. Truth is, we don't know where they originated from. The empires of ancient China and ancient Korea have existed long before the native Americans settled.
totem poles
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totem poles
Totem Poles, however, only West coast Native Americans carve them.
Nobody knows where totem poles originated from, because there is no solid recorded evidence. All we can do is guess when they were first made. Many different cultures made totem poles, not just Native Americans. While poles made by Native American tribes are the most famously known, the Mayans, Aztecs, Native Canadians, Native Australians, Maori, ingenious Koreans and ingenious Chinese are also known to have built totem poles. Many of the poles tell a story, either of a battle, a great feat or a popular legend. Erected for the people of the tribe and visitors to see and remember the events carved into the pole. They were often also used by Native Australian tribes and Maori tribes to mark their territories, warning rival tribes that they are entering their land, as well as to tell stories like most totem poles. Aztec and Mayan totem poles were carved from stone, mostly limestone. The poles are carved with images or representations of great battles and representations of Gods. Ancient ingenious Chinese and Koreans erected small totems to signify their obedience to their Gods and respect to their ancestors. Anybody who claims the Native Americans were the first to build totem poles are actually incorrect. Truth is, we don't know where they originated from. The empires of ancient China and ancient Korea have existed long before the native Americans settled.