676 W. Thalbitzer 



I give here two illustrations of the "dead house" on Nualik (see figs. 396 

 and 398) reproduced from photographs kindly lent me by Captain Amdrup. 



To pp. 352—364.. 



Houses. — The question about the origin of the different house-types of 

 the Eskimo is still unsolved, mainly owing to lack of archæological investiga- 

 tions. It was partly the feeling of confusion arising from reading the various 

 authors' descriptions of houses in the different Eskimo localities between North- 

 east Asia and Greenland, that led to my remarks on pp. 359 — 360 where I en- 

 deavoured to concentrate the question to three house-types. On renewed read- 

 ing of my account however I feel the incompleteness of my remarks. Nelson's 

 and Murdoch's descriptions of the houses from the coasts of the Bering Straits 

 just lacked the distinction between recent features (possibly influenced by Eu- 

 ropean house-building) and the original ones, which may only be ascertained 

 with certainty from archæological investigations on the house-ruins of the re- 

 gions in question. 



Since I wrote about the house-types a contribution to this question has 

 been published in Denmark by С V. Frederiksen who has had the opportunity 

 — during his official travels as clergyman in Holstensborg — to ascertain the 

 presence of ruins of the pear-shaped or as he calls them "clover-leaf-shaped" 

 houses in the central part of West Greenland. The designation he gives them 

 is due to the variation in the ground-plan of the houses in this district, the middle 

 part containing the main-platform being specially large and independently roun- 

 ded, almost separated by projecting walls from the two side recesses, which 

 lie opposite each other on either side of the entrance^). Their characteristic 

 shape is clearly seen by comparison with the house-type described by Steensby 

 from Smith Sound in the north-western corner of Greenland^). Thus it has 

 been proved that this house-type, which may be traced back to the cross- 

 formed Mackenzie River type, has been used along Greenland's west coast from 

 the northernmost inhabited regions down to about 65° N. Lat. This continuous 

 line of a certain old house-type may thus be used as evidence of the advance 

 of the Eskimo in the Middle Ages from the northern regions of Greenland to 

 the districts of the Norse-Icelandic settlers in the southern West Greenland. 

 Here the ruins of Eskimo and Norse houses are found side by side. 



The variations in the house-types seem not only to be associated with 

 the change in material in the various regions but also with certain differences 

 in social customs. It must have been a comparatively recent custom among 

 the southern Eskimo in East and West Greenland that the small family groups 

 lived together in large almost rectangular houses. The pear-shaped houses are 

 distinctly separated from this type and undoubtedly correspond to the original 

 condition among the Eskimo^). 



To p. 358 (cf. 131). 



Winter stores of dried meat and ammasscit are deposited either in the 

 stone-caches or cellars lying near the houses which are called miijeesiwit, or 

 in the more remote stone-keeps (natural caves or pits) called qimatuluwin or 

 torqorsoot. If these depots have not been properly closed with stones, the foxes 

 do not let slip the opportunity to help themselves. 



The large seals are preserved frozen in the neighbourhood of the house, 

 only covered with snow. They are generally eaten up by the end of February. 



') Frederiksen (1912) figs. 1-3, p. 395. 



•') Steensby (1910) figs. 14- 1Г), p. 323. 



3) Tlialbitzer I19Ü8) pp.220. Cf. also Mauss (et Heuchat) (1904—05) pp. 78—79, 



