Page 121 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

110 History and Science of Knots

This means that, given a medium in which to realise a knot, such as a rope, and
a problem, such as tethering a cow, one holds the basic ingredients for what I
term: a rope problem [13]. Whilst tangling the rope, tentative solutions to that
problem, i.e. knots, are generated. Those structures which result as solutions
can count on being able to enjoy a spell of being known, which could suitably
be called their life-span. When rope users are involved in the bringing forth
of a knotted structure I have observed that there is a complex play going on.
The knots most frequently encountered empirically are usually structurally
relatively simple. However, there are typically also similar solutions, which
moreover are subject to parallel evolution. In this light consider von Brandt's
attempts [5, p. 63] to outline evolutionary classes of some specific knots used
by fishermen. During their life-span there is a continuous battle between all
these solutions; and all possible means offered by the environment in which
they are to survive are exploited. Survival is influenced by a number of factors,
and as the situations in which the knot is used may change, they eventually
result in what I call `Survival of the Simplest' [14)-simplest not solely in a
structural sense, but rather a combination of tying method and structure. As
a rule the simplest is found to triumph over its competitors sooner or later.
The two most prominent exterior factors taking the stage are what I can
the propagation of technological knowledge and the ethnographical concept
known as cultural identity. The former speaks for itself and relates to the
question How does the knowledge of knots spread amongst peoples? The latter
denotes the fact that individuals display characteristic behaviour, like using
certain knots, because their social environments have taught them to do so or
perhaps force them by tradition. This, moreover, is often purposely maintained
as a mechanism for uniting the social group. The concept answers part of the
question Why do certain groups of people employ specific knots? I will use these
ideas for showing that in a sense the first factor provides the required dynamics
whereas the second factor usually displays a tendency towards arresting a
solution's evolution within a cultural group. They occasionally work together
and effectively prevent a knot from becoming locally extinct in time and place.
These ideas are particularly easy to apply in the case of the knots used by
Inuits, but their knots are interesting for a number of other reasons too. For
primitive people to survive in the Arctic, knowledge of knots and the media
in which they can be realised is absolutely essential. Since we wish to subject
these solutions of rope problems to further investigation we must determine
which aspects of them we want to study.
Knots are medium dependent; different media require different knots. In
the Inuit case there is a range of materials which have biased their knotting
techniques. For example, Baffin Land Inuits used slipped knots in thong lash-
ings to facilitate untying by means of a thrust of the foot, without having to
take off their mittens. On photographs of the kamiks (boots) of the Kilaqitsok