390 Thomas Thomsen 



As is well-known, in the modern Greenland harpoon and lance 

 the movable joint between the loose shaft and the shaft is not coni- 

 cal in shape; it is framed by two flat surfaces, furnished respectively 

 with only a small projection and socket which fit into each other ^ 

 The same type of joint is seen in two West Greenland winged har- 

 poons in the National Museum at Copenhagen dating from the 

 middle of the ISth century. On the other hand, the conical joint 

 occurs on the smaller missile weapon, the bladder dart, both in its 

 older form with the long massive bone head^ and in its later form 

 with an iron head^. A short, slender lance with conical joint is found 

 in the National Museum, but there is no complete harpoon of this 

 construction. 



The conical joint is a feature of the original Eskimoharpoon, 

 and occurs over almost the whole of the Eskimo region, as also 

 among the Indians in Oregon and in California^; the pointing of 

 the butt end of the loose shaft for application to the shaft was a 

 natural mode of attachment, but more difficult to disconnect. The 

 improved type, formed by reducing the tang to a small central pro- 

 jection on a flat surface, exists in both the extreme points of the 

 Eskimo region, viz. Greenland and Bering Strait.' 



Two specimens of foreshaft for such weapons have been found 

 by the Danmark Expedition: 



L 3106, Eskimonæsset (PI. X, 41 Length 24 cm. In the anterior extre- 

 mity, wliicli is 28 — 32 thicl<, there is a conical hollow. A line liole is drilled 

 9 cm. from the front end, and imraediateh' behind it the specimen is cut 

 off obliquely to form a splice, about 135 cm. long. The inner surface of the 

 splice is smooth', while the outer surface of this portion has been roughened. 

 The specimen is 25 — 27 cm. thick at the line hole. 



L 3185, Syttenkilometernæsset (PI. XVI, 1). Of narwhal tusk, Length 135 

 cm.; thickness 27 cm. The line hole is situated only 25 cm., behind the an- 

 terior extremity ; the bevel lor the sjjlice begins immediately behind it. The 

 natural hollow of the tooth extends through the entire length of the specimen, 

 and has served to receive the i)rojection of the loose shaft. 



So far as may be judged from the material hitherto available, 

 the point of contact of the two types of harpoon and lance falls in 

 the districts around Scoresby Sound, The older type, with conical 

 joint connection, is met with as far south as Danmarks (70" 26')^ 

 and Dunholm (69"^ 54')^. Of the newer type with squared surface 



' Mason I, PI. I\' and p. 256. - Svenandf.r, PI. 4. = Fabricius I, pp. 159 et 



seqq, the Plate, Fig. 8. ^ Cf. Mason L ^ jviasq^ i_ p. 2OS and PI. 10. bryderi, 

 p. 313, Fig. 12 b (L. b. 721). ' ThalbitzerI, PI, XVI, 12-13 {L. 4511 and L. 4500) 

 and p. 444. Fig. 45 (L. 4507—09). 



