A traditional Inuit sledge that would be made from driftwood
as there are no trees on Greenland. Held together with
ties and knots made of sealskin strips, this gives a flexibility
over uneven surfaces when the sledge would bend and flex with
the surface rather than trying to remain rigid and so putting
undue pressure on the structure. In such circumstances a flexible
construction is easily the strongest.
The sledge is placed
on seal skins and hanging on the back is a pair of polar bear
skin trousers which (shock horror) when I asked the curator
about, he went and picked up to hand to me so I could feel them
properly - how many museums would that happen in?!
I
am a little suspect about how there are so many regular timbers
available and wonder from what date this would be "traditional",
also as to how the wood would be cut and drilled.
Picture copyright Paul Ward 2009.
Pentax digital equipment.
