Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada
Arctic archaeologists have long suspected that the whalebones used to construct semi-subterranean winter houses by Thule culture peoples were symbolically resonant. These assumptions are based on observations of the non-utilitarian use of jaw bones and crania in Thule house ruins, and ethnographic d...
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University of York
2005
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:f269c2bef7d64d489ec85a8943f8eb2d 2023-05-15T14:55:16+02:00 Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada Peter C. Dawson Richard Levy 2005-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.18.1 https://doaj.org/article/f269c2bef7d64d489ec85a8943f8eb2d EN eng University of York http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue18/dawson_index.html https://doaj.org/toc/1363-5387 doi:10.11141/ia.18.1 1363-5387 https://doaj.org/article/f269c2bef7d64d489ec85a8943f8eb2d Internet Archaeology, Iss 18 (2005) whale Thule artic prehistory symbolism virtual reality VR modelling Canada Archaeology CC1-960 article 2005 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.18.1 2022-12-31T02:40:26Z Arctic archaeologists have long suspected that the whalebones used to construct semi-subterranean winter houses by Thule culture peoples were symbolically resonant. These assumptions are based on observations of the non-utilitarian use of jaw bones and crania in Thule house ruins, and ethnographic descriptions of architectural symbolism relating to the whale hunt in Historic Alaskan Inupiat houses. In this paper, we use a 3-dimensional computer reconstruction of a semi-subterranean whalebone house to search for visual expressions of whaling-related ritual in Thule architecture. Results suggest that the whalebone superstructure may have been designed to evoke important themes when viewed from specific locations within the house, and under different lighting conditions. These themes, which appear in Inupiat myths and stories, involve the belief that women transform houses into living whales during the time of the hunt. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Inupiat Thule culture Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Canada Internet Archaeology 18 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
whale Thule artic prehistory symbolism virtual reality VR modelling Canada Archaeology CC1-960 |
spellingShingle |
whale Thule artic prehistory symbolism virtual reality VR modelling Canada Archaeology CC1-960 Peter C. Dawson Richard Levy Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada |
topic_facet |
whale Thule artic prehistory symbolism virtual reality VR modelling Canada Archaeology CC1-960 |
description |
Arctic archaeologists have long suspected that the whalebones used to construct semi-subterranean winter houses by Thule culture peoples were symbolically resonant. These assumptions are based on observations of the non-utilitarian use of jaw bones and crania in Thule house ruins, and ethnographic descriptions of architectural symbolism relating to the whale hunt in Historic Alaskan Inupiat houses. In this paper, we use a 3-dimensional computer reconstruction of a semi-subterranean whalebone house to search for visual expressions of whaling-related ritual in Thule architecture. Results suggest that the whalebone superstructure may have been designed to evoke important themes when viewed from specific locations within the house, and under different lighting conditions. These themes, which appear in Inupiat myths and stories, involve the belief that women transform houses into living whales during the time of the hunt. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Peter C. Dawson Richard Levy |
author_facet |
Peter C. Dawson Richard Levy |
author_sort |
Peter C. Dawson |
title |
Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada |
title_short |
Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada |
title_full |
Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada |
title_fullStr |
Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada |
title_full_unstemmed |
Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada |
title_sort |
using computer modelling and virtual reality to explore the ideological dimensions of thule whalebone architecture in arctic canada |
publisher |
University of York |
publishDate |
2005 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.18.1 https://doaj.org/article/f269c2bef7d64d489ec85a8943f8eb2d |
geographic |
Arctic Canada |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Canada |
genre |
Arctic Inupiat Thule culture |
genre_facet |
Arctic Inupiat Thule culture |
op_source |
Internet Archaeology, Iss 18 (2005) |
op_relation |
http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue18/dawson_index.html https://doaj.org/toc/1363-5387 doi:10.11141/ia.18.1 1363-5387 https://doaj.org/article/f269c2bef7d64d489ec85a8943f8eb2d |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.18.1 |
container_title |
Internet Archaeology |
container_issue |
18 |
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1766327050775298048 |