NO. 14 PREHISTORIC ART OF ALASKAN ESKIMO — COLLINS 23 



The broken object shown in c represents a type of artifact of which 

 five specimens are known thus far, three in the present collection and 

 two in the collection of Mr. C. L. Andrews ; one of the latter is shown 

 on plate 14. In the present specimen there were originally five trans- 

 verse perforations through which lines may have passed, a circular one 

 at the center and each end, with two rectangular ones between. The 

 rectangular groove at the end suggests that the object was attached to 

 something by lashing. This groove was cut before the decoration was 

 applied, for the lines stop just before reaching the edge. The surface 

 rises gradually toward the center where there is a small cylindrical 

 hole bordered by a circle and four long spurs. Around this inner 

 circle are three larger rings, all with spurs attached, then two others 

 which are not completed but which extend from the two central 

 notches toward the ends ; and finally, beyond the groove at the end — 

 the other end is broken — a similar curve and three long spurs. 



In d is shown another object for which I can suggest no use. It is 

 slightly convex and has been broken and partly smoothed ofif at the 

 larger end. At the smaller end is a circular hole which passes through 

 the object. The two holes at the center are 6 and 8 mm. deep. Toward 

 the large end is another hole in which is the broken end of an ivory 

 plug and just beyond this still another which barely misses meeting 

 one drilled from the under side. The decoration is confined to lines, 

 with spurs, arranged in reference to the projecting and incurving out- 

 line. On the under side the decoration is simpler, consisting of a nar- 

 row band down the center which widens and, at the larger end, divides 

 into two ladder-shaped figures. 



It is unfortunate that so many of the objects most elaborately 

 decorated have no analogies in modern Eskimo culture from which 

 it would be possible to determine the purpose for which they were 

 made. This applies also to the next specimen, e, a propeller-shaped 

 object with two wings and on the under side a central projection 

 through which is drilled a transverse circular perforation. The designs 

 on the two wings are unconnected ; they differ only in that there is an 

 additional enclosing line on the left side. The under side is plain. 



The small ornament, f, is of the type shown on plate lo, a-h. The 

 slot in the base is round and 9 mm. deep and the central projection 

 lacks the customary indentation on the top. The two wings are perfo- 

 rated near the base. The decoration will be seen to be practically 

 identical with that of the other object as to outline, lacking only the 

 dots and such additional lines as were made possible by the greater 

 surface to be covered on the larger specimen. As in that case, the 



