THE LAMP OF THE ESKIMO. 1055 



into the reservoir, and a small portion of the fiat edge is left whereon to place 

 the moss. The side, edge, and reservoir are polislied. Length, S] inches; width, 

 71 inches; height, 2^ inches. Eskimo, Katmai, Shelikolf Strait, Alaskan I'eniu- 

 snla. Collected by Vr. J. Fisher. 90476. I'lato 21, fig. 5. 

 Lamp. Very finely worked from green metamorphic stone; ovate in ontline, with 

 squared edges and rounded bottom, on which the lamp accurately balances. 

 Reservoir deep, uniformly concave; upper edge hat; lip narrow, cut in the edge 

 at the point of the oval. The edges and reservoir have been polished; the 

 bottom shows marks of hammer stone in working the lamp out. This is a 

 splendid specimen of stone working. The lamp approximates the round shape 

 of the Yukon Delta lamps. Length, 11 inches; width, 10 inches; height, 4 

 inches. Eskimo of Afognak Island, Alaska. Collected by W. J. Fisher. 71726. 

 Lamp. Oval lamp of fine-grained hard stone, nicely worked out. The lamp is a 

 true oval, with a wick area at the smaller apex. The side of the lamp is worked 

 with a broad, shallow groove, and the bottom is rounded. Length, 6i inches; 

 width, If inches; height. If inches. Eskimo, Ugashik, Alaskan Peninsula, 

 Alaska. Collected by W. J. Fisher. 90172. 

 Lamp. Of hard, gray rock from the beach ; original surface showing on portions of 

 the lower side. Sad-iron shape ; upper edge slightly concave ; reservoir shallow ; 

 lip narrow. The bottom is rounded; the sides plain, nearly vertical. The lamp 

 sits nearly horizontal— that is, the rear only i inch higher tlian the point. 

 Length, 91 inches ; width, 7i inches ; height, 2| inches. Eskimo, Afognak Island 

 (Kadiak Group), Alaska. Collected by W. J. Fisher. 90473. 

 Lamp. Worked from a beach pebble of greenish-gray volcanic rock, of which 

 the original surface shows in two places beneath. The cavity is shallow, uni- 

 formly'concave, and is ovate in ontline. There is no lip specially worked out 

 for the wick, though the lamp inclines toward the apex of the oval. It resembles 

 the Bristol Bay type. Length, 6 inches; width, 5* inches; height, 2| inches. 

 Eskimo, Lesnova, Kadiak Island, Alaska. Collected by W. J. Fisher. 90181. 

 Plate 20, iig. 1. 



THE LAMPS OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS. 



The most primitive lamps on earth are those of the ancient Aleuts. 

 Many of them are merely unmoditied rock fragments, and by far the 

 larger number which have been adapted show little modification. Very 

 rarely a completely worked lamp is found. These lamps were, with few 

 exceptions, collected by Mr. W. H. Ball from prehistoric village sites. 



There is quite a number of small lamps in the collection from these 

 islands. Mr. Ball informs the writer that the Aleuts used small 

 lamps to take to sea in the fishing boats. As the men get chilled on 

 these trips, the little lamps are useful to warm the hands or body. In 

 the latter case they till the lamp from the oil bottle, place it in the lap 

 under the gut coat, light it, and let it burn awhile. These lamps are 

 often put to the same use in the house when the weather is cold. 



The Aleuts always built the fire outside of the house, as the climate 

 is mild. They are also said by early explorers to have done little cook- 

 ing. 



Lamp Suban-nlar, water-worn beach stone, elliptic in shape, having a natural 

 cavity on the upper snrlace forming the lamp reservoir. Crusts of charred moss 

 still adhere to the lamp near the lip where the wick was laid, and the lamp 

 shows evidence of long and constant usag<^. The specimen was taken from a 

 mound Length, 9 inches; width, fij luches. Aleuts, Illiuliuk, Unalashka 

 Island, Alaska. Collected by VV. H. Dali. 14894. Plate 22, fig. 1. 



