Page:Archæology of the Central Eskimos.djvu/20

sketch. In each section layers of 10 cm were excavated and these layers were numbered downwards. The section was sketched on a page of the note-book and as the specimens were gradually found, they were given consecutive numbers and the place in the section Image missing where they were found was marked on the sketch in the book; a small figure at the side of the number simultaneously indicated the depth at which the object was found. In addition, important samples of animal bones, stone rubbish, wood, etc. were included. In the refuse heaps excavations were made in square sections of 4 sq. metres and in layers of 10 cm. The specimens were packed up successively and, if necessary, treated with glycerine-carbol to prevent their drying up. In some places where the Eskimos had previously excavated or when time did not permit of a more systematic method, the work was done more superficially. Everywhere the greatest difficulty was the frozen ground; even when the summer was at its warmest only two or three centimetres thawed in the course of the day, the result being that one was three or four days in getting through a layer of 10 cm; as an example I might say that it took more than a month to get to the bottom of a house-ruin that was almost levelled to the ground, or to the bottom of a deep refuse heap. But by having a large number of ruins and sections in hand at the same time the work nevertheless proceeded fairly well.