396 



THOMAS THOMSEN 



duced 1 , or of the thin slender kind found at Angmagsalik 2 , which 

 is evidently modelled on the iron point. The object described by 

 W. THALBiTZER 3 as being possibly a point for a bird dart 

 is the point of an arrow 4 . 



The presence of the bird dart in North-east Greenland 

 is thus proved only by the discovery of the prongs ot the shaft. 

 They have previously been found by KOLDEWEY, RYDER 

 and AMDRUP 5 ; three specimens in all. They differ from 

 the type otherwise known from Greenland by having, 

 in addition to the barbs directed inwards towards the 

 shaft, a barb directed outward at the extreme tip 6 ; they 

 are also larger and stronger. 



Of the same powerful form is the specimen illustrated 

 in Fig. 13 (L. 3322) from Maroussia, house 141, but it has, 

 as customary in Greenland, all its barbs directed inwards. 

 It is furnished with three barbs, increasing in size towards 

 the base; they have been made by drilling; this is still 

 shown by traces of holes found at the inner angles. The 

 specimen is defective at the hinder end; present length 

 Fig. 13. 1 / 2 . 13*8 cm. Near the present base is a notch at the outer 

 edge which has served for lashing on to the shaft. 7 

 Fig. 14 (L. 3653) from the east shore of Stormbugt, is a 

 slenderly formed object which has probably belonged to a 

 bird dart used as a toy. It is biconvex in section, sharply 

 curved and without barbs. At the base, the inner edge is 

 bevelled for application to the shaft. About 4 cm. from the 

 base is a hole for lashing. It is 12*3 cm. long. 



Fig. 15 (L. 4023) from Rypefjeldet is probably a prong 

 belonging to a salmon spear; it differs from the prong for 

 a bird dart inter alia by its thick outer edge. The spec- 

 imen is defective at the tip, where one inwardly turned barb 

 is seen. It is nearly rectangular in section, the inner edge, how- 



1 SVENANDER, PI. 5, 169; Cf. SOLBERG, p. 68. 



- HOLM I, PI. XIV; THALBITZER II, p. 435, Fig. 137. Fig. 14. 



3 THALBITZER I, pp. 366 et seq. l lt. 



4 Cf. Meddelelser om Gronland, vol. LIII p. 420. 



a KOLDEWEY. p. 605, Fig. 18; RYDER I, p, 316, Fig. 16; THALBITZER p. 372, Fig. 16. 



6 Prongs with outward directed barbs are known from the Eskimo about Bering 

 Strait; cf. NELSON p. 150, Fig. 42 c. 



7 Here belong probably also the objects, Mus. No. L. 3843 from Snenaes, house 

 407 and Mus. No. L. 4154 from the spring settlement at Rypefjeldet, tent 618, 

 the latter for a toy dart; they are 14'9 and 5-9 cm. respectively. Both of 

 them are, however, so weathered that it is impossible to identify them more 

 exactly. 



