The Circumpolar Stone Age

• Published in: Antiquity
• Main Author: Gjessing, Gutorm
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1953
• Subjects: General Arts and Humanities; Archeology; Arctic; Diomede Islands; eskimo*; Alaska
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00024765; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0003598X00024765

IF one looks at a world map, or better still at a globe, one sees that Asia can easily be thought of as the central part of the world from which all other parts radiate-the Americas as well as Europe and Africa-whilst Indonesia and Melanesia provide a fairly good land bridge to Australia. In considering the Polar Regions it is important to realise that the Behring Strait has never been a barrier between the Asiatic and American continents. Eskimo live on a narrow strip of land on the Asiatic side, as well as along the coasts of the American Arctic, whilst those on the Diomede Islands in the middle of the strait up to recent times would sail in their skin boats to both Asia and Alaska in the summer, and travel thence by dog-sled in winter, Trade between the two continents has always been of considerable importance.