Russian Hunters on Svalbard and the Polar Winter

Ways of surviving in the High Arctic environment are among the most interesting problems addressed by archaeological research concerning hunting groups operating in these areas. The Svalbard archipelago affords a unique opportunity for comparative studies of arctic survival with respect to represent...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ARCTIC
Main Author: Jasinski, Marek E.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: The Arctic Institute of North America 1991
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Online Access:https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64586
Description
Summary:Ways of surviving in the High Arctic environment are among the most interesting problems addressed by archaeological research concerning hunting groups operating in these areas. The Svalbard archipelago affords a unique opportunity for comparative studies of arctic survival with respect to representatives from two different European cultural centers: the hunters from northern Russia and the western European whalers. The present paper concentrates on the Russian way of dealing with the polar winter. Both the documentary sources and the elements of material culture recovered during archaeological explorations reveal a relatively high level of adaptation to arctic conditions.Key words: polar winter, Svalbard, Pomorye, Russian hunting, Orthodox monasteries Mots clés: hiver polaire, Svalbard, Pomorye, chasse russe, monastères orthodoxes