416 



back of the handle from North East Greenland, and which might 

 possibly be a stereotyped ornament of the same kind. 



The question now is to what end of the handle the hoop 

 of the drum, over which the membrane was extended, was 

 secured. If we suppose that it was secured by a lashing to 

 the knob-like head at the narrow end of the handle, where the 

 oblique hole lies, the finger-rests would, if the handle were 

 grasped in the usual manner, with the left hand, be brought 

 to lie transversely to the fingers, as they are cut in a direc- 

 tion obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the handle, and, 

 besides, they would He too close up to the drum ring. I feel 

 convinced that it is the broad end of the handle which carried 

 the drum, though I am not clear as to the mode in which it 



Fig. 33 {inv. Amd. 55). Parts of the drum-handle (a) orna- 

 ments carved in the surface, (b) the knob-shaped end. 



E. Ditlevsen delt. 



was secured. It is just at this end that a piece on one side 

 of the handle has been broken off. The mouth of the marrow 

 pipe forms at this end a very large square hole (about 1'5 

 by 0*8 cm), which may possibly have been used in securing it. 

 Otherwise both in Greenland (e. g. at Ammassalik) and in Alaska 

 there is generally a notch at the back of the handle, in which 

 the drum ring is stuck, and under it one or two transverse 

 holes for the lashing with which it is secured. These features 

 are missing here. But it would be in accordance with the 

 usual practice with regard to drums, that the drum-ring was 

 placed at the broader end of the handle, at a distance of three 



