sentatives of the late Mr. Christy. Sometimes the hafts are of wood, and they have frequently indentations intended to receive the ends of the fingers and thumb, so as to secure a good grasp. In the collection of Sir John Lubbock is another specimen much like Fig. 203, with a flint blade almost like a lance-head in character, but with the more pointed end inserted in the handle; there is also another short straight-sided blade of jade bound in a wooden haft, which is notched along one side to receive the fingers, and recessed on the face for the thumb. This latter seems, well adapted for use as a knife or chisel; in fact, Sir John Lubbock, who has figured the instruments in his "Prehistoric Times,"[1] terms them both knives. Another example has been engraved by the Rev. J. G. Wood.[2]
These instruments are said to be used for scraping skins,[3] for which indeed they seem well suited, if the flat face of the stone be held vertically to the hide that is to be scraped. The handles, however, are better adapted for pushing the scrapers forward on a flat surface, and judging from the wear upon them they must have been so used. The late Sir Edward Belcher[4] has described them as Eskimo planes, for the manufacture of bows and other articles of wood, but in this respect he may have been mistaken.
The scrapers in use among the Fuegians[5] are drawn towards the operator and not pushed. Some North American varieties are mounted after the manner of adzes.[6] Mr. Otis T. Mason in his Paper "on Aboriginal skin-dressing" has exhaustively treated the subject.
A form of Skin-scraper, straight at the edge, was in use among the Pennacook tribe[7] of North America, and though some of the Eskimo instruments may have been used as planes, no doubt many were employed in dressing hides. A peculiar form in use among the Gallas[8] of Southern Shoa has been figured by Giglioli,[9] who has also recorded the fact that flat scrapers of stone are still in use in Italy and France for dressing hides.
Whether the instruments were used vertically as scrapers, or horizontally as planes, the term "scrapers" seems almost equally
- ↑ "Prehist. Times," 4th ed., p. 513, figs. 214—6.
- ↑ "Nat. Hist. of Man," vol. ii. p. 699.
- ↑ "Rel. Aquit.," p. 13.
- ↑ Proc. Ethn. Soc., N. S., vol. i. p. 137. See Rep. Bureau of Ethn., 1887-8, p. 294.
- ↑ P. S. A. S., vol. xxiv. p. 142.
- ↑ Rep. of U.S. Nat. Mus., Washington, 1891, p. 553.
- ↑ Schoolcraft, "Ind. Tribes," vol. iv. p. 175.
- ↑ Intern. Archiv., vol. ii. p. 212.
- ↑ Arch. per l'Ant. e la Etn., vol. xxiv., 1894, p. 245.
