Abstract

A recent examination of archaeological specimens excavated from the Thule Eskimo site at Naujan, Repulse Bay revealed the presence of several harpoon heads of the Sicco Open Socket type, a form not chosen by Mathiassen for illustration in his 'Archaeology of the Central Eskimos.' Recently acquired data pertaining to the distribution of this artifact type suggests that it was an integral part of at least one variant of the initial Thule expression in the Canadian Arctic. Following a discussion on the validity of typological analysis, a consideration of the variation expressed in this harpoon head type serves to pose several questions regarding the nature of the cultural base which figured in the early development of the Thule culture.