GRAPHIC ART OF THE ESKIMOS. 929 



longer accurately or entirely portrayed, as through an apparent ]n-o- 

 cess of syuecdoche conventions are attained, which are thus employed 

 for oruamentation, while the original iini)ort of the objects themselves 

 sesEis to have been lost sight of, in so far as their use for historic 

 records are intended. Some miscellaneous examples will sufilice to 

 illustrate these remarks.^ 



Plate 40, Figs. 5, C, and 7 are interesting examples of conventional- 

 izing, and indicate a long stride toward the erajdoyment of certain forms 

 for decorative purposes or for the ornamentation of spaces upon ivory 

 rods or bows that might not otherwise l)e apt to be filled with records 

 of exploits or ceremonials. 



The row of thirteen figures in plate 40, fig. 5, are the rear portions of 

 whales, the attitude sometimes taken by them in plunging, when the 

 tail emerges from the water to an unusual distance. 



The row of fourteen T-shaped characters, fig. C, are conventionalized 

 forms to denote the whale, the tail only being drawn to indicate the 

 entire animal. Simihir figures are frequently tattooed upon the body 

 to denote a successful whaler. Instances are referred to under the cap- 

 tion Tattooing, p. 781. In the row marked fig. 7 are shown fifteen swim- 

 ming seals, the arrangement being decorative, though, in accordance 



_yJt- W ^^jsT ^ JT JT ^ ^ /nT ^ ^ mf ^enf — ^ ^qff got 



Fig. 150. 



FIGURES OP SWIMMING SEALS. 



with a common custom, they may also have been intended to denote 

 many seals captured, an indefinite number of objects often signifying 

 many, and more than the actual number indicated, which may be lim- 

 ited for want of room. 



Other instances of conventional characters of well-known objects are 

 presented elsewhere. 



The regularity with which the seals are portrayed in fig. 150 is 

 another illustration of recording the successful hunt for these animals, 

 as well as an attempt at utilizing these figures for decorative jmrposes. 



Other illustrations are given herewith, in whicli certain animal forms 

 have become so conventionalized as to be almost unrecognizable, and 

 in this shape these forms are used secondarily, and perhaps even jiri- 

 marily, as decorations, the designs being artistic, as well as of historic 

 interest. 



'Since this papei- ■svas pre]>are(l foi- publication there has been issued by Mr. 

 Hjalmar Stolpe, of Stoclvliolm, an elegant folio publication on ornamentation, 

 entitled " Studier i Amerikausk Oruamentik E Bidrag til ornamentens biologi," 

 pp. 42, figures 137, plates XX. 



Eskimo workmaushiii bearing decoraitions occur on figures on pages 10-21. A 

 boat paddle, lig. 45, showing both sides, bears a painted face on erne surface; and a 

 conventionalized form upon the reverse. This specimen is from Port Clarence, and 

 from the fact of its being in color and on wood, is of interest. 



Tattooing, showing various conventionalized forms, occur in ligure 47 ["Central 

 Eskimo/'] and figure 48 ["from St. Lawrence Island"]. 

 NAT MUS 05- 59 



