212 



Morten P. Porsild. 



blade is cresent-shaped, of stone or more rarely of metal, fastened 

 to a backing of wood or bone which is prolonged at the back 

 to form a handle. This handle is often decorated with carvings. 

 This form is evidently frequent in Alaska, but it is also found at 

 the other extremity: in West Greenland and at Angmagsalik. I am 

 by no means certain of its really being an Ulo; and in West Green- 

 land it is a frequently occurring form of a kind of scraper used to 

 soften skin. These scrapers are sometimes, even today, made with 

 stone blades {tasitsaut of tasipa, 359); should not be confused with 

 the kiliortût, see p. 207). At Angmagsalik it was, according to Holm, 



Fig. 47. A, B, C, D and E Ulos and handles of Ulos; F handle of a skin scraper. 



a whetstone. But if it is really sharpened like an Ulo it must of 

 course serve for all kinds of work in connection with the cutting out 

 of skin, but then it cannot be of such universal use as the real Ulo, 

 especially for the cutting and quartering of marine animals. 



All these types are however found every where, among 

 all Eskimo tribes, and have therefore no geographical, 

 thatistosaynoregional, significance, butonlyatechno- 

 logical one. They are entirely dependent on the supply 

 of suitable materials and tools available at the place 

 and time. 



Fig. 47, A is an Ulo of European manufacture, dropped or for- 

 gotten on an old site of a house near Skansen on Disco. 



