An Anthropogeographical Study of the Origin of the Eskimo Culture. 201 
to build the arch until towards Bering Strait they came in contact with 
people with a higher and richer culture — the vault then would first 
be Neoeskimo — or else they themselves thought of closing their snow- 
tents at the top with an arch, whereby they could save themselves the 
trouble of carrying tent-skins on their sledges during rainy weather. 
Which explanation is correct I shall not endeavour to decide with 
certainty. Personally I believe in the first explanation, viz., that the 
Eskimo have through long periods used snow houses closed at the top 
with skins, and that only relatively lately have they learnt to close it 
with an arch. If, however, contrary to expectation, the second explana- 
tion should prove to be the correct one, it is perhaps possible that those 
authors may be right who have advanced the theory “that the Eskimo 
might possibly have borrowed the idea of their dome-shaped snow houses 
from the snow-burrows of the seals on the ice.” 
Quite apart from this problem, it ought to be evident from the 
preceding description that the three last mentioned forms of dwellings 
—the summer-tent, the earth-tent, and also the snow house 
— are Paleeskimo in their origin. 
From the American Arctic Archipelago and with the Palæeskimo 
culture, which was purely Arctic in its character, they have spread as 
far eastward and westward as this culture was able to advance. This 
probably means right up to the north coast of Bering Sea in the west, 
and to Labrador and the Arctic parts of Greenland in the east. 
Summer-tent and snow house have been able to hold their own; 
but instead of the earth-tent improved forms have appeared in most 
places, the so-called Neoeskimo group of houses, the origin of which 
is due to Asiatic influence. 
How these two groups have influenced each other is a problem in 
itself. Thus when houses of the Pomt Barrow type get their window 
moved down from the side of the roof so that it begins immediately 
above the lowermost end of the house passage, while a little air hole in 
the side of the roof remains as a kind of rudimentary window, this is 
without doubt borrowed direct from the Eskimo “winter-tent” or Eskimo 
“earth-tent.” 
The idea of a house sunk in a hollow and covered with earth is older 
than the origin of the Palæeskimo culture. The same applies, no doubt, 
to the employment of a simple, earth covered house passage. On the 
other hand the arrangement of the house passage which is now mostly 
used, and whereby one enters the house from below, is no doubt of 
later origin. 
It probably originates from Asia, and has then passed from the 
Neoeskimo group of houses into the Palæeskimo form. As an example 
1 THALBITZER, М. 0. С., Vol. 39. р. 363; the idea, however, has also been 
advanced by other authors, 
