Ethnological results of the Point Barrow expedition: Ninth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1887-1888, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1892, pages 3-442Murdoch, John
History
Ethnological results of the Point Barrow expedition: Ninth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1887-1888, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1892, pages 3-442
Murdoch, John
Eskimos -- Alaska -- Barrow, Point, Region
These mauls vary considerable in size. The largest is 7.1 inches long
and 2.5 in diameter, and the smallest 2.1 inches long by 2.4. This is
a very small hammer, No. 56634 [83] having a haft only 4.7 inches
long. The haft is usually about 5 inches long. The longest (belonging
to one of the smaller heads, 4 inches by 2) is 7.2 inches long, and
the shortest (belonging to a slightly larger head, 4.7 by 3.1 inches)
is 4.5 inches. The largest two heads, each 7.1 by 2.5 inches, have
hafts 5 inches long.
[Illustration: FIG. 23.--Stone maul. 3/8]
The lashing of all is put on in the same general way, namely, by
securing one end round the head and through the eye, then taking a
variable number of turns round the head and through the hole, and
tightening these up by wrapping the end spirally round all the parts,
where they stretch from head to haft on each side. Seal thong, narrow
or broad, is more generally used than sinew braid (only three
specimens out of the thirteen have lashings of sinew). When broad
thong is used the loop is made by splicing, as follows: A slit is cut
about 1½ inches from the end of the thong, and the end is doubled in a
bight and passed through this slit. The end is then slit and the other
end of the thong passed through it and drawn taut, making a splice
which holds all the tighter for drawing on it. A simple loop is tied
in sinew braid.
[Illustration: FIG. 24.--Stone maul. 3/8]
The following figures will illustrate the most important variations in
the form of this implement. Fig. 23, No. 56634 [83] from Utkiavwĭñ,
has a head of light gray pectolite, slightly translucent, and
evidently ground flat on the faces, and the haft is of reindeer
antler, with a slight knob at the butt. A square piece of buckskin is
doubled and inserted between the head and haft. The lashing is of fine
sealskin twine, and the spiral wrapping is carried wholly round the
head. This was the first stone maul collected, and was put together at
the station, as mentioned above. It is rather smaller than usual. Fig.
24, No. 56637 [196], from Utkiavwĭñ, has the head of grayish
pectolite, rough and unusually large. The haft is of some soft
coniferous wood soaked with grease. It is nearly round, instead of
elliptical, with an irregular knob at the butt, and not curved, but
fastened obliquely to the head. The loop of double thong attached to
the haft is probably to go round the wrist.
[Illustration: FIG. 25.--Stone maul. 3/8]
Fig. 25, No. 56639 [161], from Utkiavwĭñ, is of pectolite, the upper
and lower faces almost black and the sides light gray. The haft is of
hard wood and unusually long (7.2 inches). It is noticeable for being
attached at right angles to the head, by a very stout lashing of thong
of the usual kind, and further tightened by a short flat stick wedged
in below the head on one side. There appears to have been a similar
“key” on the other side. This is an unusual form.
[Illustration: FIG. 26.--Stone maul. 3/8]
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