Prehistoric Use of Ringed Seals: A Zooarchaeological Study from Arctic Canada

Maribeth Suzanne Murray

Environmental Archaeology, 2005, vol. 10, issue 1, 19-38

Abstract: This paper presents new data on ringed seal hunting in the Early Palaeoeskimo period (ca. 4000–3500 B.P.) in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Skeletal age schedules, thin sections of ringed seal canine teeth and skeletal element frequency analysis, provides the means to reconstruct specific seal hunting strategies, especially as regards the selection of particular age classes, season of hunt, and locations for hunting. The zooarchaeological data indicate a human predation pattern similar to the winter hunting pattern of polar bears. Most remains are from seals between the skeletal ages of four and seven/ eight – indicating the selection of juvenile and young adult seals from along ice leads and at refrozen cracks. Skeletal element representation allows for the tentative identification of sharing among households.

Date: 2005
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DOI: 10.1179/env.2005.10.1.19

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