Social and ritual determinants of whale bone transport at a classic Thule winter site in the Canadian Arctic
Abstract Recent research has demonstrated that patterning related to harvesting selectivity and architectural bone utilization persists in the surface distribution of bowhead whale ( Balaena mysticetus ) bones at classic Thule sites in the Canadian central Arctic, despite scavenging by later non‐wha...
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crwiley:10.1002/oa.613 2024-06-02T08:01:41+00:00 Social and ritual determinants of whale bone transport at a classic Thule winter site in the Canadian Arctic Whitridge, Peter 2002 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/oa.613 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Foa.613 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/oa.613 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor International Journal of Osteoarchaeology volume 12, issue 1, page 65-75 ISSN 1047-482X 1099-1212 journal-article 2002 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.613 2024-05-03T11:48:51Z Abstract Recent research has demonstrated that patterning related to harvesting selectivity and architectural bone utilization persists in the surface distribution of bowhead whale ( Balaena mysticetus ) bones at classic Thule sites in the Canadian central Arctic, despite scavenging by later non‐whaling Inuit groups. Since skeletal riders with minimal architectural or artifactual utility are associated with carcass portions that were socially and ritually prized ethnographically in North Alaska, this surface record may also preserve spatial structure relating to loci of high status settlement and/or ceremonial activity within sites. Close to 3400 bowhead bones were mapped at the major Thule winter village of Qariaraqyuk, southeast Somerset Island. The results of a principal components analysis of the element distributions are consistent with expectations for special treatment of bowhead flippers, tails, and tongues. These results are supported by excavation data which reveal that flipper and tongue bones were preferentially discarded in the vicinity of wealthy whaling households and a major ceremonial structure. Contrary to the longstanding belief that Thule whale bone assemblages are hopelessly compromised by prehistoric and historic bone transport, these assemblages hold great promise for investigating Thule social and ritual practices. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Balaena mysticetus bowhead whale inuit Somerset Island Alaska Wiley Online Library Arctic Somerset Island ENVELOPE(-93.500,-93.500,73.251,73.251) International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 12 1 65 75 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Recent research has demonstrated that patterning related to harvesting selectivity and architectural bone utilization persists in the surface distribution of bowhead whale ( Balaena mysticetus ) bones at classic Thule sites in the Canadian central Arctic, despite scavenging by later non‐whaling Inuit groups. Since skeletal riders with minimal architectural or artifactual utility are associated with carcass portions that were socially and ritually prized ethnographically in North Alaska, this surface record may also preserve spatial structure relating to loci of high status settlement and/or ceremonial activity within sites. Close to 3400 bowhead bones were mapped at the major Thule winter village of Qariaraqyuk, southeast Somerset Island. The results of a principal components analysis of the element distributions are consistent with expectations for special treatment of bowhead flippers, tails, and tongues. These results are supported by excavation data which reveal that flipper and tongue bones were preferentially discarded in the vicinity of wealthy whaling households and a major ceremonial structure. Contrary to the longstanding belief that Thule whale bone assemblages are hopelessly compromised by prehistoric and historic bone transport, these assemblages hold great promise for investigating Thule social and ritual practices. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Whitridge, Peter |
spellingShingle |
Whitridge, Peter Social and ritual determinants of whale bone transport at a classic Thule winter site in the Canadian Arctic |
author_facet |
Whitridge, Peter |
author_sort |
Whitridge, Peter |
title |
Social and ritual determinants of whale bone transport at a classic Thule winter site in the Canadian Arctic |
title_short |
Social and ritual determinants of whale bone transport at a classic Thule winter site in the Canadian Arctic |
title_full |
Social and ritual determinants of whale bone transport at a classic Thule winter site in the Canadian Arctic |
title_fullStr |
Social and ritual determinants of whale bone transport at a classic Thule winter site in the Canadian Arctic |
title_full_unstemmed |
Social and ritual determinants of whale bone transport at a classic Thule winter site in the Canadian Arctic |
title_sort |
social and ritual determinants of whale bone transport at a classic thule winter site in the canadian arctic |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2002 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/oa.613 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Foa.613 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/oa.613 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-93.500,-93.500,73.251,73.251) |
geographic |
Arctic Somerset Island |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Somerset Island |
genre |
Arctic Balaena mysticetus bowhead whale inuit Somerset Island Alaska |
genre_facet |
Arctic Balaena mysticetus bowhead whale inuit Somerset Island Alaska |
op_source |
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology volume 12, issue 1, page 65-75 ISSN 1047-482X 1099-1212 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.613 |
container_title |
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
65 |
op_container_end_page |
75 |
_version_ |
1800746079566692352 |