414 ' Thomas Thomsen 



a thong for fastening the shoe to the runner. Length 35-3 cm., ex- 

 treme breadth 6*7 cm. 



There is also a similar groove on the specimen (L. 3197) figured 

 on PI. XVIII, 15, from Syttenkilometernæsset, the broadest and 

 thickest shoe in the collection. It is 75 cm. broad, 2*9 cm. thick 

 and 20*5 cm. long. The groove is, however, but roughly cut, and 

 the general appearance of the object conveys the impression that it 

 has not been used. 



The longest of those (L. 3091) from Eskimonæsset is that figured 

 on PI. XVIII, 13; it is 507 cm. long and 49 cm. broad. In the 

 lower end of the figure it is seen that three nails still remain fixed. 



On a shoe from Rypefjeldet, PI. XVIII, 11 (L. 4031) the holes 

 at the middle of the piece are, contrary to custom, drilled opposite 

 to each other, three in a row; the central hole in both rows, 

 as also the outermost at one end, have not, however, been pier- 

 ced right through. The specimen in question is 146 cm. long and 

 4'7 cm. broad. 



The one from Renskæret (L. 3597), which is only 11 cm. long 

 and 4*2 cm. broad, is cut off square at one end and separated by 

 drilling at the other. 



The material employed has for the most part consisted of hard" 

 varieties of bone, viz. whale's bone and narwhal tusk; but some- 

 times the natives have been obliged to put up with antler, the soft 

 structure and irregular form of which makes it less suitable for this 

 purpose. At least three of the specimens in the collection are of the 

 latter material. 



L. 3192 from Syttenkilometernæsset; length 135cm , and extreme breadth 

 53 cm., with 6 holes. 



L. 3602 from Renskæret; length 31 cm., extreme breadth 52 cm., with 

 12 holes. 



L. 3741 from Stormnæs, from near the socalled "Wolf Trap" (Ulvefælde) '; 

 length 267 cm., extreme breadth 37 cm.; with 11 holes. 



The shoes of antler have, in contrast to those of harder kinds 

 of bone, retained the rounded surface of the antler on the gliding 

 surface, as by flattening them, the softer inner tissue would be 

 laid bare. Shoes made of antler have also been previously found in 

 these regions. ^ 



Of parts belonging to sledges the collection contains, besides 

 the shoes, only four fragments of cross-bars, viz. PI. XVI, 5 and 6 

 from Syttenkilometernæsset (76° 49'), Fig. 23 a from Renskæret (76° 41'), 

 house 134 and Fig. 23 b from the spring settlement at Rypefjeldet 



' Thostrup, p. 275, No. 378. - Cf. for instance Koldewey, p. 601, Fig. 4. 



