Prehistoric exploitation of white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in the eastern Canadian Arctic
Zooarchaeological data relating to prehistoric Paleoeskimo (ca. 4000-1000 B.P.) and Neoeskimo (ca. 1000 B.P. to historic times) use of white whales (Delphinapterus leucos) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in the eastern Canadian Arctic are reviewed. Remains of these two species are extremely rare in...
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Danish Polar Center/Museum Tusculanum Press
1994
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Online Access: | https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_biosci/article/view/142538 |
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ftsbaarhusojs:oai:ojs.tidsskrift.dk:article/142538 2024-01-28T10:03:22+01:00 Prehistoric exploitation of white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in the eastern Canadian Arctic Savelle, James M. 1994-04-22 application/pdf https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_biosci/article/view/142538 eng eng Danish Polar Center/Museum Tusculanum Press https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_biosci/article/view/142538/186212 https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_biosci/article/view/142538 Meddelelser om Grønland. Bioscience; Vol. 39 (1994): Meddelelser om Grønland. Bioscience; 101-117 Meddelelser om Grønland. Bioscience; Årg. 39 (1994): Meddelelser om Grønland. Bioscience; 101-117 0106-1054 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 1994 ftsbaarhusojs 2024-01-03T23:59:24Z Zooarchaeological data relating to prehistoric Paleoeskimo (ca. 4000-1000 B.P.) and Neoeskimo (ca. 1000 B.P. to historic times) use of white whales (Delphinapterus leucos) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in the eastern Canadian Arctic are reviewed. Remains of these two species are extremely rare in Paleoeskimo sites, probably because of the lack of a sophisticated whale-hunting technology. While white whale and narwhal remains are more common in Neoeskimo sites, they nevertheless make up relatively insignificant portions of the total fauna] assemblages. Since Neoeskimos possessed a sophisticated whaling technology, the problem becomes one of explaining the general paucity of such remains. Four potential factors are addressed: a) taphonomy, b) processing and transport, c) lack of appropriate archaeological data and d) lack of these two species in the diet of Inuit during prehistoric and early historic times. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Delphinapterus leucas inuit Monodon monoceros narwhal* White whale Aarhus University: OJS at The State and University Library Arctic |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Aarhus University: OJS at The State and University Library |
op_collection_id |
ftsbaarhusojs |
language |
English |
description |
Zooarchaeological data relating to prehistoric Paleoeskimo (ca. 4000-1000 B.P.) and Neoeskimo (ca. 1000 B.P. to historic times) use of white whales (Delphinapterus leucos) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in the eastern Canadian Arctic are reviewed. Remains of these two species are extremely rare in Paleoeskimo sites, probably because of the lack of a sophisticated whale-hunting technology. While white whale and narwhal remains are more common in Neoeskimo sites, they nevertheless make up relatively insignificant portions of the total fauna] assemblages. Since Neoeskimos possessed a sophisticated whaling technology, the problem becomes one of explaining the general paucity of such remains. Four potential factors are addressed: a) taphonomy, b) processing and transport, c) lack of appropriate archaeological data and d) lack of these two species in the diet of Inuit during prehistoric and early historic times. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Savelle, James M. |
spellingShingle |
Savelle, James M. Prehistoric exploitation of white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in the eastern Canadian Arctic |
author_facet |
Savelle, James M. |
author_sort |
Savelle, James M. |
title |
Prehistoric exploitation of white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in the eastern Canadian Arctic |
title_short |
Prehistoric exploitation of white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in the eastern Canadian Arctic |
title_full |
Prehistoric exploitation of white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in the eastern Canadian Arctic |
title_fullStr |
Prehistoric exploitation of white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in the eastern Canadian Arctic |
title_full_unstemmed |
Prehistoric exploitation of white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in the eastern Canadian Arctic |
title_sort |
prehistoric exploitation of white whales (delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (monodon monoceros) in the eastern canadian arctic |
publisher |
Danish Polar Center/Museum Tusculanum Press |
publishDate |
1994 |
url |
https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_biosci/article/view/142538 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Delphinapterus leucas inuit Monodon monoceros narwhal* White whale |
genre_facet |
Arctic Delphinapterus leucas inuit Monodon monoceros narwhal* White whale |
op_source |
Meddelelser om Grønland. Bioscience; Vol. 39 (1994): Meddelelser om Grønland. Bioscience; 101-117 Meddelelser om Grønland. Bioscience; Årg. 39 (1994): Meddelelser om Grønland. Bioscience; 101-117 0106-1054 |
op_relation |
https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_biosci/article/view/142538/186212 https://tidsskrift.dk/meddrgroenland_biosci/article/view/142538 |
_version_ |
1789328758882172928 |