Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-17
MISSION REVEALS
ESKIMO CULTURE
Henry B. Collins of National
Museum Staff Uncovers
Evidence in Excavations.

Henry B. Collins, jr,. assistant cura-
tor Of ethnology of the National Mu-
scum, has just returned from a fve-
month expedition to Arctic Alaska,
where he made an intensive study of
the cultural remains of the prehistoric
Eskimos who once inhabited this region.
Excavations at q number of ancient
sites on the Boring Sea and Arctic coast
revealed tangible evidence of a highly
developed Eskimo culture that flour
ished centuries ago in the frozen wastes
Of Alaska and Siberia.
The very existence of this ancient
culture was unsupported" Mr.. Collins
said, prior to 1925. when it was dis
covered by DR.. Hrdlicka of the Ma
tional Museum and Mr.. Diamond Jen-
ness of the Canadian National Mu-
scum" In two previous expeditions in
1927 and 1928, Mr.. Collins conducted
archaeological work in Alaska, which re-
suited in throwing additional light on
this ancient civilization and the changes
1t had undergone in the course of
centuries.
100 Miles From Humans.
Accompanied by G. Herman Brandt
OF Cleveland, Mr.. Collins sailed from
Seattle on the Coast Guard cutter
Northland early In May, making his
nrst stop at the east end of st. Law
renee Island. Here" Mr.. Collins
Stated, I'VE camped, 100 miles from
the nearest human beings, and began
to dig In enormous piles of frozen
refuse, or kitchen middens,' 20 or more
fee high, at the ancient village sites.
These rubbish heaps were known to
contain quantities of highly priced
archaeological mate :ial, and, in spite of
the inhospitable climate and miserable
nvlng conditions, our stay here was very
pleasant and profitable. Although it
was midsummer when we reached the
island, the ground was frozen solid, ex-
cept Tor thin surface layer. AS one
would naturally expect, scientific coll
Letting In q climate like this was a
d1fhcult process. The digging was ac-
complished by stripping of thin layers
OF earth to depth of several inches
per day by the aid Of small trowel."
Three Stages Of Culture.
I'm the st. Lawrence Island region y,
Mr.. Collins explained, ARE three stages
OF cultural development-th very Old
the intermediate and the modern or
preSent-day culture" The oldest of
these was discovered in 1926. bit the
existence of the intermediate stage link
ing the old with the present dav. thus
completing the sequence of the cul-
tural development of the region, was
unknown prior to the Smithsonian ex-
petition under Mr.. Collins leadershin
OF last year. THE significant feature
OF this ancient culture" it was pointed
out, is that the very old is by far the
most elaborate and highly developed
1t consists of flowing, curvilinear de-
signs skillfully etched by the ancient
artists with tools of slate. flint and
lade. Evidences OF this golden age of
Eskimo art can be traced through the
intermediate and finally into the mod
ern culture, but in more simplified
form. In other words, for some reason
unknown to scientists, Eskimo culture
reached its height more than q thou
sand years ago and since that time has
been gradually deteriorating. The pres
ent-day culture Is, therefore, not a de-
veloped but degenerate stage Of the
most ancient known form of Eskimo
culture.
AN idea of the great antiquity of the
Alaskan Eskimo culture NAV be had by
comparison with the most ancient
Eskimo culture Of the East-that of
Greenland and Northern Canada
which is definitely shown to be a con-
s1derably more recent offspring Of the
old Western Alaskan culture. This"
Mr.. Collins said, lis in confirmation of
the theory that the original homeland
VI bl1S ESklIHO Is somewhere IN the
West, either in Alaska or Siberia"
Thousands Of Specimens.
The number of specimens resulting
from the expedition will run into the
thousands, consisting of beautifully
decorated objects of So-called fossil
ivory which have taken on rich shades
Of green, brown and almost black
through having been buried in the wet.
frozen soil for centuries. Harpoon
heads and other implements for hurt
ing the walruS, seal, polar bear and
whale are abundant and of the beau
tifully carved ceremonial objects there
are so many varieties that even the
modern Eskimo himself is unable 10
imagine for what purpose they might
have been used.
After leaving ST. Lawrence Island
the rest Of the season was spent In
exploring ancient Eskimo sites In the
Boring Sea, around Boring Strait and
along the Arctic Coast as far as Point
Hope. In addition to archaeological ma
terial obtained. q large number of
skeletons from the older sites were
collected and many of the natives were
measured in order that the physical
type Of the present-day Eskimo and
the earlier inhabitants might be COM
pared.