Page:Archæology of the Central Eskimos.djvu/48

numbers at a coast settlement like Naujan, where there are no adjacent lakes or streams that are particularly rich in salmon. Thule type 2, with its comparatively blunt bone point and large barbs, must have been used against animals whose skin was comparatively easy to penetrate but which was also easily torn; in this respect seals come into consideration, and perhaps white whales. Thule type 3, with its small size and sharp stone or metal blade, has on the other hand been used against animals with heavy, strong hide, no doubt walrusses in particular. It is surprising that a blade of baleen has been stiff enough for a harpoon point; but as will be seen in the following, baleen has not infrequently been used for pointing weapons.

From the occurrence of the various types of harpoon heads at the Naujan settlement can anything be deduced as to the chronology of these forms? When referring to the various types, mention has been made of the particular houses and refuse-heap strata in which they were found; not much can be concluded from this, however, particularly because the Thule types 2 and 3 are so predominant. Type 2 does not occur in the higher situated house ruins (XI-XX); but as only 4 harpoon heads are known from these, this might be accidental. Only the Thule types occur in the lower strata (4–10) of the refuse heap. The three slightly flattened harpoon heads are from comparatively low-lying houses (II-IV-V); this might indicate that these flattened forms are among the later specimens of the find — something which other factors might also have led one to expect.

Pl. 2.7 (P1. 458. VIII) very closely approaches these harpoon heads; this is a long head of antler with a long tip and two barbs, line hole and the shaft end formed in a stumpy conical shape; this is the head of a barbed harpoon like the Greenland bladder dart, etc.; it has been fastened by a line to a shaft, in the fore-end of which it has fitted into a socket. More uncertain is the use of Pl. 2.8 (P1. 510. VIII); this is of ivory, oval in section; in the middle of one side a slightly projecting, long thin barb; in the rounded, widened shaft-end is a slot-like hole.

1. Fixed Fore-Shafts for Ice-Hunting Harpoons. Pl. 3.7 (P1.2630. 11) is of whalebone, slightly bent, almost round; the shaft-end cut off obliquely, with slight notches to hold the lashing to the shaft. 5 (P1. 2723. V) is smaller, of whalebone; numerous notches in the shaft-end, two cross-grooves and a hole, all for lashing to the shaft.^[1]