Archaeological Survey of Eastern Inglefield Land, Northwest Greenland

John Darwent, Christyann Darwent, Genevieve LeMoine and Hans Lange

Abstract

Archaeological survey by foot, boat, and helicopter was undertaken in the eastern portion of Inglefield Land, northwestern Greenland. Although the research interests of the Inglefield Land Archaeology Project (ILAP) are focused on the late Thule-early Historic contact period, all cultural features were documented. A total of 1376 features, including winter houses, tent rings, fox traps, caches, hearths, kayak stands, and burials were recorded during pedestrian survey of three broad regions, which represent the entire culture history of the High Arctic from ca. 4200 years ago to modern use of the region by Inughuit hunters. Settlement pattern analysis suggests greater use of easternmost Inglefield Land by Paleoeskimo inhabitants compared to Thule/Historic groups and overall more short-term occupation (i.e., hunting forays) during the Paleoeskimo period. Thule winter houses are concentrated in the Glacier and Marshall Bay regions and secondarily at Cape Grinnell.

  • John Darwent, Department of Anthropology University of California, Davis, Calilfornia 95616-8522

  • Christyann Darwent, Department of Anthropology University of California, Davis, California 95616-8522

  • Genevieve LeMoine, The Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum and Arctic Studies Center Bowdoin College, 9500 College Station, Brunswick, Maine 04011-8495

  • Hans Lange, Greenland National Museum and Archives Hans Egedevej 8, P.O. Box 145, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland