The Modus Operandi of Walrus Exploitation during the Palaeoeskimo Period at the Tayara Site, Arctic Canada

International audience Thanks to its high nutritional potential and huge ivory canines, walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) appears to have been a key resource in the subsistence economy of Dorset groups. However present archaeological data are sparse and a more global analysis of its exploitation by the Pal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anthropozoologica
Main Authors: Monchot, Hervé, Houmard, Claire, Dionne, Marie-Michelle, Desrosiers, Pierre M., Gendron, Daniel
Other Authors: ORIENT ET MÉDITERRANÉE : Textes, Archéologie, Histoire (OM), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Préhistoire et Technologie (PréTech), Université Paris Nanterre (UPN)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Laval Québec (ULaval)
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: HAL CCSD 2013
Subjects:
Zoo archaeology
hunting
butchering
use-wear traces
Nunavik
Quebec
Tayara
bone technology
technologie osseuse
traces d'utilisation
activités de boucherie
chasse
archéozoologie
archeo
hist
Arctic
Canada
Morse
Arctique*
Détroit d'Hudson
Dorsétien
Odobenus rosmarus
morse
walrus*
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.5252/az2013n1a1
https://hal.parisnanterre.fr//hal-01529128
Description
Summary:International audience Thanks to its high nutritional potential and huge ivory canines, walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) appears to have been a key resource in the subsistence economy of Dorset groups. However present archaeological data are sparse and a more global analysis of its exploitation by the Palaeoeskimos is required. The Tayara site (KbFk-7) in Nunavik (Quebec, Canada) yielded a significant assemblage of walrus bones and many manufactured ivory objects. In addition, Tayara serves as a reference site in Eastern Arctic cultural chronology. A thorough zooarchaeological study has been conducted which includes skeletal profile, the sexing and ageing of walrus bones, and a technological study of the manufactured objects, including a use-wear analysis on lithic tools. This allows the discussion of several aspects of the modus operandi for the exploitation of walrus, from the death of the animal to the processing of the raw material into artefacts. Even if the walrus seems to have been treated with the same processes as other species, some specificities have been noted, particularly in the selection of the different skeletal elements for tool productions and the emblematic value that this animal may have played in consumption and production activities. " Le modus operandi de l'exploitation du morse sur le site Paléoesquimau de Tayara (Rive sud du détroit d'Hudson, Canada).Le morse (Odobenus rosmarus) est très apprécié des peuples arctiques, en particulier pour son grand potentiel nutritionnel et pour ses canines proéminentes. Au Dorsétien, l'exploitation de cet animal a été particulièrement valorisée, notamment à Tayara (KbFk-7), l'un des plus prestigieux sites paléoesquimaux. Localisé au nord du Nunavik (Québec, Canada), le niveau II de Tayara a livré une preuve évidente de chasse au morse ainsi qu'un très grand nombre de restes fauniques et d'objets fabriqués sur dents ou os de morse. Une exploitation diversifiée et généralisée des carcasses a été mise en évidence. Les études consacrées au morse étant encore ...

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