SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, I929 1 53 



Strait we proceeded to Lutke Harbor, in Siberia, to water ship. Here 

 an opportunity was afforded to observe the Siberian Eskimos who are 

 of the same stock as the St. Lawrence Islanders. 



We next made a brief stop at the Httle Diomede Island in the center 

 of Bering Strait. In ancient times this small island was apparently 

 one of the highest centers of development of the old Bering Sea culture 

 and I was fortunate in being able to buy a dozen beautifully deco- 

 rated specimens of this period that had l)een excavated l)y the 

 Eskimos. 



Arriving at Nome, Mr. Brandt and I left the ship and made a trip 

 125 miles into the interior of Seward Peninsula to the upper Kou- 

 garuk River. The object was to investigate certain large perforated 

 and notched stones that were reported to have been found in the gold- 

 l)earing gravels of Pleistocene age in the Henry Creek mining district. 

 About 16 of these stones have been found, weighing from lo to 70 

 pounds. Their most probable use was that of canoe or net anchors 

 or weights to hold down skin roof coverings. The notches and per- 

 forations were unmistakal)ly artificial and were as deeply patinated 

 as the adjoining surfaces. Unfortunately we did not ourselves find 

 any of the stones in place. If they really belong in the Pleistocene 

 gravels it is of course a matter of first importance. However, they 

 could easily have fallen down to the gravel unnoticed during the 

 mining operations, while the overburden of tundra and frozen muck 

 was being removed hydraulically. On the other hand, even if they 

 were merely embedded in the tundra it is somewhat difficult to ex- 

 plain their presence, for Henry Creek and the upper Kougaruk, both 

 shallow mountain streams, are 50 miles or more from the sea and 

 there is no evidence that the Seward Peninsula Eskimo ever pene- 

 trated into the region unless occasionally while hunting caribou. 

 They might possibly represent an early inland phase of Eskimo cul- 

 ture similar to that found further east and north. However, specula- 

 tion as to the meaning of the stones is useless until definite knowl- 

 edge is had of the strata in which they properly belong. 



Returning to Nome we once more boarded the Northland and after 

 brief stops at Gambell and Sevunga on St. Lawrence Island, got ofi' 

 at Teller. From there a trip was made to Kowieruk, an old village 

 just above the entrance to Imaruk Basin. No evidence of the old 

 Bering Sea culture was found in the excavations although a num- 

 ber of skeletons 100 years old or more were collected. Suggestive 

 of Point Hope was the presence of pottery lamps at the feet of some 

 of the skeletons. 



