USE BY ESKIMO

the Eskimo -had never reached the moun-
tains, but, like the southern natives, had
procured all the mineral that they required
from float and bowlders in the river-beds,
as those who have ascended these rivers
speak of the abundance of greenstone in
sight. We know very little as to the method
of working jade by these northern people.
Murdochi states that jade was sawed with
thin bone saws, sand and water. Nelson®
‘}observed that nephrite and other hard
stones were fashioned by the Eskimo by
grinding into shape with other stones.
Stefansson’ says:

Among Noatagmiut (and most other tribes?)
greenstone kuinirk bowls were drilled with
flint. . . . . Attoktuak (of Point Barrow)
says jade was cut into long strips with a sharp
cottonwood stick the edge of which was occa-
sionally dipped in water and then in dry sand.
Noatak people say they never saw or heard of
this method. Thin slabs of flint were used, the
edge dipped now and then in water and then in
dry sand. Slabs of jade were smoothed by
rubbing on a flat stone (sandstone) covered
with sand. This smoothing practised inland
and at Barrow, many of all tribes still living
who saw jade worked.

AND MONOGRAPHS