Zooarchaeological Analysis of a Late Dorset and an Early Thule Dwelling at Cape Grinnell, Northwest Greenland

Abstract

Abstract Geografisk Tidsskrift—Danish Journal of Geography 110(2):315–336, 2010 Excavations were undertaken at the site of Cape Grinnell, Northwest Greenland, by the Inglefield Land Archaeology Project in 2008. A well-preserved Late Dorset semi-subterranean mid-passage dwelling and an early Thule semi-subterranean sod-block house yielded radiocarbon dates of ca. 700–500 cal. B.P. Faunal remains from both structures had marked differences in species diversity suggesting Late Dorset had a wider diet breadth and made more intensive use of locally available resources than early Thule. Spatial analysis of the house interiors revealed that Late Dorset tended to concentrate carcass processing and discard at the rear of their dwelling and bone burning is minimal. The early Thule processed their food in two main areas: in front of the sleeping platform and on the central paving stones adjacent to the storage alcove. Burned bone was concentrated near the sleeping platform and to a lesser extent on the central paving in front of the entrance. Carnivore gnawing was virtually non-existent in the Late Dorset structure but ubiquitous across the early Thule structure.