The Influence of Iron on Arctic Thule Migration Patterns
Arctic scholars have yet to fully understand the reasons behind the migration of Thule culture from the western to the eastern Arctic. This rapid movement across such a vast area into environmentally diverse regions marks a critical period of cultural change that is usually summarized by two theoret...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | unknown |
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University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2015
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| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.34917/8220080 https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations/2512 |
| Summary: | Arctic scholars have yet to fully understand the reasons behind the migration of Thule culture from the western to the eastern Arctic. This rapid movement across such a vast area into environmentally diverse regions marks a critical period of cultural change that is usually summarized by two theoretical positions. Ecological theories postulated environmental changes placed selective pressures on traditional food sources that required Thule hunters to follow migrating prey. Theories that focused on material acquisition alternately proposed the Thule followed the trail of meteoric iron eastward into northwestern Greenland. This research sought to examine the eastward Thule migration from another possible perspective. Instead of taking an environmental view, it focused on the search for valuable materials such as meteoric iron. Information on iron artifacts from archaeological site reports was examined to discuss the use of iron tools and possible metalworking methods. I also conducted experimental research into how meteorite iron ore may have been cold forged into endblades. This provided a deeper understanding of how these materials were processed in an environment with such limited resources. |
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