438 



THOMAS THOMSEN 



L. 3605, Renskseret, specimen found lying in the open, at the settlement 

 126139 (Fig. 28), 25 cm. long, but broken off at the lower end. Joining sur- 

 face is 4'5 x 3'5 cm., the hole 4 cm. from the upper end. 



This type of axe-haft, with evenly curved lines and knob at the 

 holding end, is common both in Greenland and among the Central 

 Eskimos, as also to some extent among the Western Eskimos; here 

 however, it is as a rule more roughly shaped, and often with a pro- 

 jection above behind the joining surface. 1 



Drills. 



A complete set of drilling tools: mouthpiece, shaft, bits, and bow, 

 is not found in the collection; in the following, therefore, each part 

 will be dealt with separately. 



Of the bone mouthpieces, which are held in the teeth to guide 

 the upper end of the shaft, two specimens were found : one at Sytten- 

 kilometernaesset, and the other on the island of Maroussia. 



L. 3188, (Fig. 29) was found at Syttenkilometernsesset, camping 

 ground 73 103. Fashoned from the bone of a whale; height 3'6 cm. 

 The shape is compressed, only 2'2 cm. thick, 

 while the breadth of the larger, clean-cut surface 

 amounts to 6 cm. From this the sides are rounded 

 down in such a manner as to leave, on what is 

 shown in the illustration as the under surface, 

 just sufficient room for the socket intended to 

 receive the upper end of the drill-shaft. This 

 socket is 1-7 cm. deep. In addition to this, there is also a hollow, 

 not so deep (9 mm.) in the upper surface. The mouthpiece shows 

 signs of hard wear; an oblong groove, worn away by 

 the teeth, is visible about the middle on either side. 

 L. 3364 (Fig. 30), found in house 144 on the island 

 of Maroussia, is of a different shape, fashioned from 

 a piece of narwhal's tusk, cut off straight at both ends. 

 The socket, which is only 6 mm. deep, is here found 

 in the broader end. Height 4 - 5 cm., upper surface 

 4 x 2-9, lower 4'2 x 3'5. 



A wooden drill- shaft was found in house 134 on 

 Renskaeret (Fig. 31). L. 3572, 11'4 cm. long, is somewhat roughly 

 fashioned from a round stick. The narrowed portion at the upper 

 end shows the corresponding socket of the mouthpiece used to have 

 been 1-1 cm. deep. The greatest thickness of the shaft is at 2-2 cm. 

 from the upper end, where the wood is 1-6 cm. thick; from here it 



Fig. 29. 



Fig. 30 



1 Cf. NELSON, PI. XXXIII b and XXXIX; also MURDOCH I, p. 168 et seqq. 



