Title: Ethnological results of the Point Barrow expedition
Author: John Murdoch
Release date: August 26, 2013 [eBook #43568]
Most recently updated: October 23, 2024
Language: English
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43568
Credits: Louise Hope, Carlo Traverso and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
The body of the article has been divided into three segments (see table of contents) of about equal size. This preliminary section includes the full Contents, List of Illustrations, and Index. All parts are fully interlinked. In the body text, each heading links back to the next higher heading, and so on back to the top of each file.
Orthography is briefly described early in the article. Note in particular the vowels ɐ and ǝ (inverted a and e); both are rare. The inconsistent use of ĸ and ρ, especially in material quoted from other sources, is not explained. The letter ĸ (kra) is equivalent to q in modern (ICI) orthography; ρ (Greek rho) may represent r or voiced/nasalized q.
Contents
List of Illustrations
Typographical errors are shown in the text with mouse-hover popups, and are listed again at the end of each file. General notes on errors and inconsistencies are at the end of this file. The Franz Boas article “The Central Eskimo” is available from Project Gutenberg as etext 42084.
Naturalist and Observer, International Polar Expedition to
Point Barrow, Alaska, 1881-1883.
Showing the region known to the Point Barrow Eskimo
Based on the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey
map of Alaska, 1884, with additions from the U.S.C. & G.S.
“General Chart of Alaska” 1889, and from Eskimo account.
Eskimo names given in the form used at Point Barrow
Names of “tribes” underlined thus Kûñmûdliñ
Compiled by JOHN MURDOCH
1889
Many illustrations have labels showing scale: 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, up to 1/23. What you see may be a little bigger or smaller, but all images should be proportional. The ruler shows the printed size.
| Page. | ||
| Pl. I. | Map of Northwestern Alaska |
2 |
| II. | Map of the hunting grounds of the Point Barrow Eskimo |
18 |
| Fig. 1. | Unalina, a man of Nuwŭk | 34 |
| 2. | Mûmûñina, a woman of Nuwŭk |
35 |
| 3. | Akabiana, a youth of Utkiavwiñ |
36 |
| 4. | Puka, a young man of Utkiavwiñ |
37 |
| 5. | Woman stretching skins | 38 |
| 6. | Pipes: (a) pipe with metal bowl; (b) pipe with stone bowl; (c) pipe with bowl of antler or ivory |
67 |
| 7. | Pipe made of willow stick |
68 |
| 8. | Tobacco pouches | 69 |
| 9. | Plans of Eskimo winter house |
72 |
| 10. | Interior of iglu, looking toward door |
73 |
| 11. | Interior of iglu, looking toward bench |
74 |
| 12. | House in Utkiavwiñ | 76 |
| 13. | Ground plan and section of winter house in Mackenzie region |
77 |
| 14. | Ground plan of large snow house |
82 |
| 15. | Tent on the beach at Utkiavwiñ |
85 |
| 16. | Wooden bucket | 86 |
| 17. | Large tub | 87 |
| 18. | Whalebone dish | 88 |
| 19. | Meat-bowl | 89 |
| 20. | Stone pot | 90 |
| 21. | Small stone pot | 91 |
| 22. | Fragments of pottery | 92 |
| 23. | Stone maul | 94 |
| 24. | Stone maul | 94 |
| 25. | Stone maul | 95 |
| 26. | Stone maul | 95 |
| 27. | Stone maul | 96 |
| 28. | Stone maul | 96 |
| 29. | Bone maul | 97 |
| 30. | Bone maul | 97 |
| 31. | Bone maul | 98 |
| 32. | Bone maul | 98 |
| 33. | Meat-dish | 99 |
| 34. | Oblong meat-dish | 100 |
| 35. | Oblong meat-dish, very old |
100 |
| 36. | Fish dish | 100 |
| 37. | Whalebone cup | 101 |
| 38. | Horn dipper | 101 |
| 39. | Horn dipper | 102 |
| 40. | Dipper of fossil ivory | 103 |
| 41. | Dipper of fossil ivory | 103 |
| 42. | Wooden spoon | 104 |
| 43. | Horn ladle | 104 |
| 44. | Bone ladle | 104 |
| 45. | Bone ladle in the form of a whale |
105 |
| 46. | Bone ladle | 105 |
| 47. | Stone house-lamp | 106 |
| 48. | Sandstone lamp | 107 |
| 49. | Traveling lamp | 108 |
| 50. | Socket for blubber holder |
108 |
| 51. | Man in ordinary deerskin clothes |
110 |
| 52. | Woman’s hood | 111 |
| 53. | Man’s frock | 113 |
| 54. | Pattern of man’s deerskin frock |
113 |
| 55. | Detail of trimming, skirt and shoulder of man’s frock |
114 |
| 56. | Man wearing plain, heavy frock |
114 |
| 57. | Man’s frock of mountain sheepskin, front and back |
115 |
| 58. | Man’s frock of ermine skins |
116 |
| 59. | Pattern of sheepskin frock |
117 |
| 60. | Pattern of ermine frock | 117 |
| 61. | Woman’s frock, front and back |
118 |
| 62. | Pattern of woman’s frock | 119 |
| 63. | Detail of edging, woman’s frock |
119 |
| 64. | Details of trimming, woman’s frock |
119 |
| 65. | Man’s cloak of deerskin | 121 |
| 66. | Pattern of man’s cloak | 121 |
| 67. | Deerskin mittens | 123 |
| 68. | Deerskin gloves | 124 |
| 69. | Man’s breeches of deerskin |
125 |
| 70. | Pattern of man’s breeches |
126 |
| 71. | Trimming of man’s breeches |
126 |
| 72. | Woman’s pantaloons | 127 |
| 73. | Patterns of woman’s pantaloons |
128 |
| 74. | Pattern of stocking | 129 |
| 75. | Man’s boot of deerskin | 131 |
| 76. | Pattern of deerskin boot | 131 |
| 77. | Man’s dress boot of deerskin |
132 |
| 78. | Pattern of man’s dress boot of deerskin |
132 |
| 79. | Man’s dress boot of skin of mountain sheep |
133 |
| 80. | Pair of man’s dress boots of deerskin |
134 |
| 81. | Woman’s waterproof sealskin boot |
135 |
| 82. | Sketch of “ice-creepers” on boot sole |
135 |
| 83. | Man’s belt woven of feathers |
136 |
| 84. | Diagram showing method of fastening the ends of feathers in belt |
137 |
| 85. | Woman’s belt of wolverine toes |
137 |
| 86. | Belt-fastener | 138 |
| 87. | Man with tattooed cheeks | 139 |
| 88. | Woman with ordinary tattooing |
140 |
| 89. | Man’s method of wearing the hair |
141 |
| 90. | Earrings | 143 |
| 91. | Plug for enlarging labret hole |
144 |
| 92. | Labret of beads and ivory |
145 |
| 93. | Blue and white labret from Anderson River |
146 |
| 94. | Oblong labret of bone | 147 |
| 95. | Oblong labret of soapstone |
147 |
| 96. | Ancient labret | 148 |
| 97. | Beads of amber | 149 |
| 98. | Hair combs | 150 |
| 99. | Slate knives | 151 |
| 100. | Slate knife-blade | 152 |
| 101. | Slate knife | 152 |
| 102. | Slate knife | 152 |
| 103. | Slate hunting-knife | 152 |
| 104. | Blade of slate hunting-knife |
153 |
| 105. | Large slate knife | 153 |
| 106. | Large single-edged slate knife |
153 |
| 107. | Blades of knives | 154 |
| 108. | Peculiar slate knife | 154 |
| 109. | Knife with whalebone blade |
155 |
| 110. | Small iron knife | 155 |
| 111. | Small iron knives | 156 |
| 112. | Iron hunting knife | 156 |
| 113. | Large crooked knife | 158 |
| 114. | Large crooked knife with sheath |
158 |
| 115. | Small crooked knives | 159 |
| 116. | Crooked knife | 159 |
| 117. | Crooked knives, flint-bladed |
160 |
| 118. | Slate-bladed crooked knives |
161 |
| 119. | Woman’s knife, steel blade |
161 |
| 120. | Woman’s knife, slate blade |
162 |
| 121. | Woman’s knife, slate blade |
162 |
| 122. | Woman’s knife, slate blade |
162 |
| 123. | Woman’s knife, slate blade |
162 |
| 124. | Woman’s ancient slate-bladed knife |
163 |
| 125. | Ancient bone handle for woman’s knife |
163 |
| 126. | Large knife of slate | 163 |
| 127. | Woman’s knife of flaked flint |
164 |
| 128. | Hatchet hafted as an adz | 165 |
| 129. | Hatchet hafted as an adz | 166 |
| 130. | Adz-head of jade | 167 |
| 131. | Adz-head of jade | 167 |
| 132. | Hafted jade adz | 168 |
| 133. | Adz-head of jade and bone |
168 |
| 134. | Adz-head of bone and iron, without eyes |
168 |
| 135. | Adz-head of bone and iron, with vertical eyes |
169 |
| 136. | Adz-head of bone and iron, with vertical eyes |
169 |
| 137. | Hafted bone and iron adz | 169 |
| 138. | Hafted bone and stone adz |
170 |
| 139. | Small adz-blade of green jade |
170 |
| 140. | Hafted adz of bone and flint |
171 |
| 141. | Old cooper’s adz, rehafted |
171 |
| 142. | Adz with bone blade | 172 |
| 143. | Antler chisel | 173 |
| 144. | Antler chisel | 173 |
| 145. | Spurious tool, flint blade |
173 |
| 146. | Whalebone shave, slate blade |
174 |
| 147. | Saw made of deer’s scapula |
175 |
| 148. | Saw made of a case-knife | 175 |
| 149. | Bow drill | 176 |
| 150. | Bow drill and mouthpiece | 176 |
| 151. | Bow drill | 177 |
| 152. | Drill bow | 177 |
| 153. | Drill bows | 178 |
| 154. | Spliced drill bow | 178 |
| 155. | Drill mouthpiece with iron socket |
179 |
| 156. | Drill mouthpiece without wings |
179 |
| 157. | Bone-pointed drill | 179 |
| 158. | Handles for drill cords | 180 |
| 159. | Flint-bladed reamers | 182 |
| 160. | Flint-bladed reamers | 182 |
| 161. | Awl | 182 |
| 162. | Jade whetstones | 183 |
| 163. | Jade whetstones | 184 |
| 164. | Wooden tool-boxes | 185 |
| 165. | Large wooden tool-boxes | 186 |
| 166. | Tool-bag of wolverine skin |
187 |
| 167. | Tool-bag of wolverine skin |
188 |
| 168. | Drills belonging to the tool-bag |
189 |
| 169. | Comb for deerskins in the tool-bag |
189 |
| 170. | Bag handles | 190 |
| 171. | Bag of leather | 190 |
| 172. | Little hand-club | 191 |
| 173. | Slungshot made of walrus jaw |
191 |
| 174. | Dagger of bear’s bone | 192 |
| 175. | Bone daggers | 192 |
| 176. | So-called dagger of bone | 193 |
| 177. | Boy’s bow from Utkiavwiñ | 196 |
| 178. | Loop at end of bowstring | 197 |
| 179. | Large bow from Nuwŭk | 197 |
| 180. | Large bow from Sidaru | 198 |
| 181. | Feathering of the Eskimo arrow |
201 |
| 182. | Flint-headed arrow (kukĭksadlĭñ) |
202 |
| 183. | Long flint pile | 202 |
| 184. | Short flint pile | 202 |
| 185. | Heart-shaped flint pile | 203 |
| 186. | (a) Arrow with “after pile” (ipudligadlĭñ); (b) arrow with iron pile (savidlĭñ); (c) arrow with iron pile (savidlĭñ); (d) arrow with copper pile (savidlĭñ); (e) deer-arrow (nûtkodlĭñ) |
203 |
| 187. | Pile of deer arrow (nûtkăñ) |
205 |
| 188. | “Kûnmûdlĭñ” arrow pile | 205 |
| 189. | (a) Fowl arrow (tugalĭñ); (b) bird arrow (kixodwain) |
206 |
| 190. | Bow case and quivers | 208 |
| 191. | Quiver rod | 209 |
| 192. | Cap for quiver rod | 209 |
| 193. | Bracer | 210 |
| 194. | Bracer of bone | 210 |
| 195. | Bird dart | 211 |
| 196. | Point for bird dart | 212 |
| 197. | Ancient point for bird dart |
212 |
| 198. | Point for bird dart | 213 |
| 199. | Bird dart with double point |
213 |
| 200. | Ancient ivory dart head | 214 |
| 201. | Bone dart head | 214 |
| 202. | Nozzle for bladder float | 215 |
| 203. | Seal dart | 215 |
| 204. | Foreshaft of seal dart | 217 |
| 205. | Throwing board for darts | 217 |
| 206. | Harpoon head | 218 |
| 207. | Harpoon head | 219 |
| 208. | Ancient bone harpoon head |
219 |
| 209. | (a) Ancient bone harpoon head; (b) variants of this type |
220 |
| 210. | Bone harpoon head | 220 |
| 211. | Bone harpoon head | 220 |
| 212. | Harpoon head, bone and stone |
221 |
| 213. | Harpoon head, bone and stone |
221 |
| 214. | Walrus harpoons | 224 |
| 215. | Typical walrus-harpoon heads |
226 |
| 216. | Typical walrus-harpoon heads |
226 |
| 217. | Typical walrus-harpoon heads |
227 |
| 218. | Walrus-harpoon head, with “leader” |
227 |
| 219. | Walrus-harpoon head, with line |
228 |
| 220. | Walrus-harpoon head, with line |
228 |
| 221. | Walrus-harpoon head, with line |
229 |
| 222. | Foreshaft of walrus harpoon |
230 |
| 223. | Harpoon head for large seals |
230 |
| 224. | Retrieving seal harpoon | 231 |
| 225. | Details of retrieving seal harpoon |
232 |
| 226. | Jade blade for seal harpoon |
233 |
| 227. | Seal harpoon for thrusting |
233 |
| 228. | Diagram of lashing on shaft |
234 |
| 229. | Model of a seal harpoon | 235 |
| 230. | Large model of whale harpoon |
235 |
| 231. | Model of whale harpoon, with floats |
236 |
| 232. | Flint blade for whale harpoon |
237 |
| 233. | Slate blade for whale harpoon |
237 |
| 234. | Body of whale harpoon head |
238 |
| 235. | Whale harpoon heads | 238 |
| 236. | Whale harpoon head with “leader” |
239 |
| 237. | Foreshaft of whale harpoon |
239 |
| 238. | Whale lance | 240 |
| 239. | Flint head of whale lance |
241 |
| 240. | Flint heads for whale lances |
241 |
| 241. | Bear lance | 242 |
| 242. | Flint head for bear lance |
242 |
| 243. | Deer lance | 243 |
| 244. | Part of deer lance with flint head |
243 |
| 245. | Deer lance, flint head | 244 |
| 246. | Flint head for deer lance |
244 |
| 247. | Bird bolas, looped up for carrying |
245 |
| 248. | Bird bolas, ready for use |
245 |
| 249. | Sealskin float | 247 |
| 250. | Flipper toggles | 248 |
| 251. | Boxes for harpoon heads | 249 |
| 252. | Seal net | 251 |
| 253. | Scratchers for decoying seals |
253 |
| 254. | Seal rattle | 254 |
| 255. | Seal indicators | 255 |
| 256. | Sealing stool | 255 |
| 257. | Seal drag and handles | 257 |
| 258. | Whalebone wolf killers | 259 |
| 259. | Wooden snow-goggles | 261 |
| 260. | Bone snow-goggles | 262 |
| 261. | Wooden snow-goggles, unusual form |
262 |
| 262. | Marker for meat cache | 262 |
| 263. | Marker for meat cache | 263 |
| 264. | Tackle for shore fishing | 279 |
| 265. | Knot of line into hook | 279 |
| 266. | Small fish-hooks | 280 |
| 267. | Hooks for river fishing | 280 |
| 268. | Tackle for river fishing | 280 |
| 269. | Burbot hook, first pattern |
281 |
| 270. | Burbot hook, second pattern |
281 |
| 271. | Burbot hook, made of cod hook |
281 |
| 272. | Burbot tackle, baited | 281 |
| 273. | Ivory sinker | 282 |
| 274. | Ivory jigger for polar cod |
282 |
| 275. | Section of whalebone net | 284 |
| 276. | Mesh of sinew net | 285 |
| 277. | Fish trap | 285 |
| 278. | Fish spear | 286 |
| 279. | Flint flakers | 288 |
| 280. | Haft of flint flaker | 288 |
| 281. | Flint flaker, with bone blade |
289 |
| 282. | Fire drill, with mouthpiece and stock |
289 |
| 283. | Set of bow-and-arrow tools |
291 |
| 284. | Marline spike | 292 |
| 285. | Marline spike | 292 |
| 286. | “Twister” for working sinew backing of bow |
293 |
| 287. | “Feather setter” | 294 |
| 288. | Tool of antler | 294 |
| 289. | Skin scraper | 295 |
| 290. | Skin scrapers—handles only |
295 |
| 291. | Skin scrapers | 296 |
| 292. | Skin scraper | 296 |
| 293. | Peculiar modification of scraper |
296 |
| 294. | Skin scraper | 297 |
| 295. | Skin scraper | 297 |
| 296. | Skin scraper | 297 |
| 297. | Flint blade for skin scraper |
298 |
| 298. | Straight-hafted scraper | 298 |
| 299. | Bone scraper | 299 |
| 300. | Scraper cups | 299 |
| 301. | Combs for cleaning deer-skins |
301 |
| 302. | “Double slit” splice for rawhide lines |
302 |
| 303. | Mattock of whale’s rib | 303 |
| 304. | Pickax-heads of bone, ivory, and whale’s rib |
303 |
| 305. | Ivory snow knife | 305 |
| 306. | Snow shovels | 305 |
| 307. | Snow shovel made of a whale’s scapula |
307 |
| 308. | Snow pick | 307 |
| 309. | Snow drill | 308 |
| 310. | Ice scoop | 308 |
| 311. | Long blubber hook | 310 |
| 312. | Short-handled blubber hook |
310 |
| 313. | Fish sealer | 311 |
| 314. | Ivory shuttle | 311 |
| 315. | Netting needle | 312 |
| 316. | Mesh stick | 312 |
| 317. | Netting needles | 313 |
| 318. | Netting needles for seal net |
314 |
| 319. | Netting needle | 314 |
| 320. | Mesh sticks | 314 |
| 321. | Netting weights | 316 |
| 322. | Shuttle belonging to set of feather tools |
316 |
| 323. | Mesh stick | 317 |
| 324. | “Sword” for feather weaving |
317 |
| 325. | Quill case of bone needles |
318 |
| 326. | (a) Large bone needle and peculiar thimble; (b) Leather thimbles with bone needles |
318 |
| 327. | Needle cases with belt hooks |
320 |
| 328. | (a) Needle case with belt hook; (b) needle case open, showing bone needles |
321 |
| 329. | Trinket boxes | 323 |
| 330. | Trinket boxes | 324 |
| 331. | Ivory box | 325 |
| 332. | Bone box | 325 |
| 333. | Little flask of ivory | 325 |
| 334. | Box in shape of deer | 325 |
| 335. | Small basket | 326 |
| 336. | Small basket | 326 |
| 337. | Small basket | 327 |
| 338. | Kaiak | 329 |
| 339. | Method of fastening together frame of kaiak |
329 |
| 340. | Double kaiak paddle | 330 |
| 341. | Model kaiak and paddle | 334 |
| 342. | Frame of umiak | 336 |
| 343. | (a) Method of fastening bilge-streaks to stem of umiak; (b) method of framing rib to gunwale, etc. |
337 |
| 344. | Method of slinging the oar of umiak |
339 |
| 345. | (a) Model of umiak and paddles; (b) model of umiak, inside plan |
340 |
| 346. | Ivory bailer for umiak | 340 |
| 347. | Ivory crotch for harpoon | 341 |
| 348. | Ivory crotch for harpoon | 342 |
| 349. | Crotch for harpoon made of walrus jaw |
342 |
| 350. | Snowshoe | 345 |
| 351. | Knot in snowshoe netting | 346 |
| 352. | (a) First round of heel-netting of snowshoe; (b) first and second round of heel-netting of snowshoe |
347 |
| 353. | (a) First round of heel-netting of snowshoe; (b) first, second, and third rounds of heel-netting of snowshoe |
348 |
| 354. | Small snowshoe | 350 |
| 355. | Old “chief,” with staffs | 353 |
| 356. | Railed sledge (diagrammatic), from photograph |
354 |
| 357. | Flat sledge | 355 |
| 358. | Small sledge with ivory runners |
355 |
| 359. | Small toboggan of whalebone |
357 |
| 360. | Hunting score engraved on ivory |
361 |
| 361. | Hunting score engraved on ivory, obverse and reverse |
362 |
| 362. | Hunting score engraved on ivory |
362 |
| 363. | Hunting score engraved on ivory, obverse and reverse |
363 |
| 364. | Game of fox and geese from Plover Bay |
365 |
| 365. | Dancing cap | 365 |
| 366. | Wooden mask | 366 |
| 367. | Wooden mask and dancing gorget |
367 |
| 368. | Old grotesque mask | 368 |
| 369. | Rude mask of wood | 369 |
| 370. | Wolf mask of wood | 369 |
| 371. | Very ancient small mask | 369 |
| 372. | Dancing gorgets of wood | 371 |
| 373. | Youth dancing to the aurora |
375 |
| 374. | Whirligigs | 377 |
| 375. | Teetotum | 378 |
| 376. | Buzz toy | 378 |
| 377. | Whizzing stick | 379 |
| 378. | Pebble snapper | 379 |
| 379. | Carving of human head | 380 |
| 380. | Mechanical doll—drum-player |
381 |
| 381. | Mechanical toy—kaiak paddler |
381 |
| 382. | Kaiak carved from block of wood |
382 |
| 383. | Drum | 385 |
| 384. | Handle of drum secured to rim |
386 |
| 385. | Drum handles | 387 |
| 386. | Ivory drumsticks | 388 |
| 387. | Ancient carving—human head |
393 |
| 388. | Wooden figures | 393 |
| 389. | Carving—face of Eskimo man |
394 |
| 390. | Grotesque soapstone image—“walrus man” |
394 |
| 391. | Bone image of dancer | 395 |
| 392. | Bone image of man | 396 |
| 393. | Grotesque bone image | 396 |
| 394. | Bone image—sitting man |
396 |
| 395. | Human figure carved from walrus ivory |
396 |
| 396. | Ivory carving—three human heads |
397 |
| 397. | Rude human head, carved from a walrus tooth |
397 |
| 398. | Elaborate ivory carving | 398 |
| 399. | Bear carved of soapstone | 398 |
| 400. | Bear flaked from flint | 399 |
| 401. | (a) Bear carved from bone; (b) bear’s head |
399 |
| 402. | Ivory figures of bears | 400 |
| 403. | Rude ivory figures of walrus |
401 |
| 404. | Images of seal—wood and bone |
401 |
| 405. | White whale carved from gypsum |
402 |
| 406. | Wooden carving—whale |
403 |
| 407. | Whale carved from soapstone |
403 |
| 408. | Rude flat image of whale | 404 |
| 409. | Ivory image of whale | 404 |
| 410. | Ivory image of whale | 404 |
| 411. | Pair of little ivory whales |
405 |
| 412. | Soapstone image of imaginary animal |
405 |
| 413. | Ivory carving, seal with fish’s head |
405 |
| 414. | Ivory carving, ten-legged bear |
406 |
| 415. | Ivory carving, giant holding whales |
406 |
| 416. | Double-headed animal carved from antler |
407 |
| 417. | Ivory carving—dog | 407 |
| 418. | (a) Piece of ivory, engraved with figures; (b) development of pattern |
408 |
| 419. | (a) Similar engraved ivory; (b) development of pattern |
408 |
| 420. | Ivory doll | 409 |
| 421. | Whale flaked from glass | 435 |
| 422. | Whale flaked from red jasper |
435 |
| 423. | Ancient whale amulet, of wood |
436 |
| 424. | Amulet of whaling—stuffed godwit |
438 |
| 425. | Amulet consisting of ancient jade adz |
438 |
| 426. | Little box containing amulet for whaling |
439 |
| 427. | Amulet for catching fowl with bolas |
439 |
| 428. | Box of dried bees—amulet |
440 |