366 THOMAS THOMSEN 



direct connection between the Alaska and the East Greenland form 

 can hardly be imagined. 



On the other hand, it must be maintained that there is a direct 

 connection between the Greenland needlecases and one found on 

 Southampton Island ; the specimen shown in the paper cited (p. 326, 

 Fig. 5 a) might equally well have taken its origin from West Green- 

 land; even the characteristic alternate spur band, which is also found 

 in Alaska, occurs on several of those from West Greenland. 1 The 

 specimens from Frozen Strait shown in Fig. 5 d and e in the same 

 place, are also difficult to distinguish from Greenland specimens; on 

 the other hand, Fig. 5 b from Frozen Strait and c from Ponds Bay 

 have an offset above, not found in Greenland, but this is probably 

 a less important difference; the ornamentation, consisting of dotted 

 edges, is also found there 2 ; even the dots on the wings occur in 

 several specimens. 3 



The find from the Skaergaards Halv0 not only includes needle- 

 cases, but also counterparts to the rest of the bone implements; thus, 

 specimens closely corresponding to the bodkins (PI. VII, 1 4) with 

 transverse grooves round their upper end and with the small eye 

 above occur also in the other find. In North-east Greenland, so far as 

 my knowledge goes, only one other specimen of this type has been 

 found 4 , in a child's grave near Scoresby Sound; in West Greenland, 

 on the other hand, they are often found in the northern part of 

 the country. 



The fact that bodkins, boot-creasers, needles and similar objects 

 are found in women's graves is only to be expected, as together with 

 knives they constitute women's chief implements. It is, on the other 

 hand, surprising that they are found in larger numbers in the same 

 grave and usually fairly similar in size. 5 They should doubtless be 

 regarded not merely as implements for use, but in an equal degree 

 as articles of ornament. Here, I attach no importance to the fact 

 that they are all intended for suspension, because the majority of 

 the articles belonging to an Eskimo woman are carried in a hanging 

 position; in this connection it is of greater importance that there 

 exist similar finds of bone pieces which could not have been meant 

 for use; thus, from a grave near Ata, in the district of Ritenbenk, 

 there are 24 bone pieces (i pierced at the upper end, about 10 cm 

 long, quadrilateral in transverse section, and not pointed, but simply 



1 Mus. No. L. 2589; cf. also THALBITZER I, p. 527, Fig. 97. - Mus. No. L. 1358. 



3 Mus. No. L. 2589, 5671 ; on two of the specimens the dots are surrounded by 

 circles (Mus. No. L. c. 786 and L 2846). 4 RYDER I, p. 334, Fig. 32 a (Mus. No. 

 L. c. 1426). 5 From Nugak in Ritenbenk district 22 specimens (Mus. No. L. 2129 

 50), from Eqaluit in Umanaq district 10 (Mus. No. L. c. 774) and from Atanekerdluk 

 in Ritenbenk district 7 (Mus. No. L. 2594 2600). fi Mus. No. L. c. 806. 



