Unstitching the Past:An experimental and microwear investigation of Dorset (Paleo-Inuit) needles from the Foxe Basin region

• Main Authors: Siebrecht, Matilda, Van Gijn, Annelou, Lofthouse, Susan, Kotar, Katie, Cencig, Elsa
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Arctic; Foxe Basin; Dorset culture; inuit
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/11370/7ef64abd-9b51-4300-a033-746d171d86b3; https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/7ef64abd-9b51-4300-a033-746d171d86b3

Needles are arguably one of the most important artefact types to have been used by Paleo-Inuit cultures, as creating warm, waterproof clothing is essential for survival in Arctic environments. This combined with the prevalence of needles within archaeological collections has meant that much research has been done on the topic of Paleo-Inuit needles. However, the majority of these studies have focused on a traditional typological approach to the material. A pilot study conducted by Siebrecht et al (2021) demonstrated that, while needles from several Dorset culture (c. 800 BC- 1300 AD) sites in the Foxe Basin region appeared to be typologically identical, further investigation using microwear analysis highlighted variation in how they would have been made and used over time and between sites. The present study aims to expand on this discovery by considering possible reasons for variability in the attribute of needle cross-section shape, using the methodological framework of microwear analysis, experimental archaeology, and ethnographic collaboration. By using this approach, we were able to explore Dorset needle making and sewing practices in more detail than previous purely typology-focused studies, and suggest a fresh perspective on and future directions for this topic of Arctic archaeological research.