Summary: | This chapter provides a summary of the Greenlandic Dorset culture, previously known as Independence II or Dorset I. Greenlandic Dorset is one aspect of a particularly dynamic period in eastern Arctic prehistory, which saw significant culture change and movement, and which has resulted in the recognition of several regional variants. Important characteristics of Greenlandic Dorset are outlined, with special focus on chronology, artifact style, architecture, and human ecology. Key localities are described in order to indicate the variability in Greenlandic Dorset settlement patterns. The chapter concludes with a consideration of the relationship of Greenlandic Dorset with other contemporary cultures including “transitional” and Early Dorset.
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