Palaeo-Eskimo occupations in Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland

The first indication that an early Palaeo-Eskimo occupation was present in Bonavista Bay came from excavations at The Beaches site in the early 1970's. However, its relationship to the Middle Dorset occupation and its chronological significance were unclear. -- The primary goals of this study a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Sawicki, Anna Irena
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 1983
Subjects:
Online Access:https://research.library.mun.ca/3989/
https://research.library.mun.ca/3989/1/Sawicki_AnnaIrena.pdf
https://research.library.mun.ca/3989/3/Sawicki_AnnaIrena.pdf
Description
Summary:The first indication that an early Palaeo-Eskimo occupation was present in Bonavista Bay came from excavations at The Beaches site in the early 1970's. However, its relationship to the Middle Dorset occupation and its chronological significance were unclear. -- The primary goals of this study are to identify and examine the Palaeo-Eskimo, manifestations in Bonavista Bay and to determine if the differences between them - in technology, time and use of raw materials - suggest distinctly different occupations. In order to achieve these goals, a detailed comparison of artifact attributes, tool categories, utilization of raw materials and available radiocarbon results from eight Bonavista Bay sites is presented. Comparisons are also made with dated Palaeo-Eskimo occupations in other areas of Newfoundland and Labrador. -- Based on the results of the analysis, the Palaeo-Eskimo occupations are identified as the Groswater and Middle Dorset phases of two temporally and technologically distinct traditions: Early and Late Palaeo-Eskimo. Furthermore, there clearly exists a cultural relationship between the Bonavista Bay Groswater and Middle Dorset phases and similar complexes throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.