The soapstone lamp

The soapstone lamp

The Inuits’ source of heat and light
For hundreds of years the soapstone lamp has held enormous importance for the Inuit people. The soapstone lamp has provided warmth and light to the Inuits wherever needed during their hunting trips. Its usefulness can be compared to that of a modern spirit or gas burner, which is of course completely indispensable on a camping trip.

The lamp’s design
In former times the Inuits had large soapstone lamps and mess tins, whilst the earliest Inuit cultures probably only used it to provide light in the turf hut, hide tent or the igloo. In the lamp there were two vessels, one of which was filled with blubber from a seal or whale. When the blubber turned to liquid it ran over the ridge to the wick, which at that time was usually dried mountain hare excrement. The wick was lit in a clever way by one person – or two together – using a couple of simple tools to rapidly rub two pieces of wood together. The friction energy created enough heat to ignite dry moss and heather.

Souvenir models create a cosy atmosphere
The majority of tourist offices and souvenir shops today sell miniature models of the soapstone lamp, which are filled with lamp oil. A soapstone lamp can become exceptionally hot, and it is therefore usually placed on an insulated wooden base with a small tripod. Soapstone lamps provide a pleasant light in the home and are a reminder of a past that is actually not all that distant.

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