220 



Morten P. Porsild. 



priscan home had the lamp, this utensil being a prerequisite to 

 migration into high latitude"; and on the following page: "That the 

 invention of the lamp took place on some seacoast, where fat of 

 aquatic mammals of high fuel value was abundant, rather than in 

 the interior, where the fat of land animals is of little value". The 

 last sentence is undoubtedly correct, but I do not see why the idea 

 of the lamp could not have originated on the coast of the Arctic 

 ocean, as has that of all the other utensils, and why it should neces- 

 sarily have been brought from "a priscan home." 



There are lamps for burning blubber oil, which are very small 

 in size, but which may be used all the same; they are playthings for 



Fig. 52. Three typical soapstone lamps. For further particulars see text. 



little girls, and formerly they were placed in the graves together with 

 the other belongings of the child. Even very tiny soapstone lamps, stand 

 and all are found, which represent, not the little girl's, but her doll's lamp. 



On the east coast of Disco there is an old settlement Qutdligssat, 

 "those things which can be used for lamps." It derives its name 

 from a basalt which is here split, so that frequently slightly hollowed 

 pieces are obtained which can be used for lamps. 



Fig. 52, Л is a large flat lamp, {qutdleq, 160) made with iron 

 tools. The edge for the wick is slightly curved. The lamp being big 

 and flat, there is no particular ledge for the wick, nor are there any 

 ridges. The lamp has been broken in several places and has been 

 lashed together again with string of hempen yarn, passed through 

 holes. Ujarassugssuk at Vaj gattet. 



Fig. 52, ^ is a smaller lamp, rather flat inside, not at all shaped 



