The Nature of Thule Eskimo Whale Use
ABSTRACT. Archaeologists for the past half century have considered bowhead whding to be an important and integral part of Thule Eskimo subsistence. This position has come into question recently. Arguments are set forth favoring the predominant archaeological view that bowheads were hunted and extens...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.495.410 http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/arctic33-3-517.pdf |
| Summary: | ABSTRACT. Archaeologists for the past half century have considered bowhead whding to be an important and integral part of Thule Eskimo subsistence. This position has come into question recently. Arguments are set forth favoring the predominant archaeological view that bowheads were hunted and extensively used during the period A.D. 1000-1300 in much of the Canadian Arctic. Direct, indirect, and circumstantial evidence is outlined, ranging from the presence of whaling gear and graphic whaling depictions to arguments of resource maximization and ample storage capacity at Thule winter sites. Differences in interpreting the Thule record appear to reflect different methodological approaches of ethnologists and archaeologists. RÉSUMÉ. Pendant ce dernier demi-sitcle, les archkologues admettaient que les baleines àtête inclinke faisaient partie important ou intégrale de la subsistence des Esquimaux de Thulk. Cela a kt6 remis en question recemment. Les arguments en faveur du point de vue de I’ychkologie classique etaient que les baleines à tete inclinke etaient chasskes et utiliskes sur une grande echelle, pendant laperiode de lo00 B 1300 ans aprks J.C., dans une grande partie du Canada Arctique. L’auteur schematise des evidence directes, indirectes et circontantielles, en allant de la prksence d’ustenciles en os de baleine et de peintures graphiques de baleines jusqu’aux arguments de ressources maximales et d’ample capacitk de stockage dans les sites hivernaux de Thulb. Les differences dans I’interpretation de l’inventaire de Thulk, apparaissent refletter des approches methodologiques differentes de la part ethnologues et des archeologues. Traduit par Alain de Vendegies, Aquitaine Company of Canada Ltd. |
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