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Interpreting Variability in Thule Inuit Architecture: A Case Study from the Canadian High Arctic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Peter C. Dawson
Peter C. Dawson*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Ave, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9
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Abstract

The semisubterranean whale-bone house is one of the most recognizable aspects of Thule Inuit culture. Following their arrival in the Canadian Arctic approximately 1,000 years ago, Thule peoples built these impressive and often enigmatic dwellings for occupation during the long winter months. Variability in the architectural properties of semisubterranean house forms has traditionally been used by archaeologists to infer cultural and historical relationships between regions, and establish seasonal and/or functional distinctions in usage. An analysis of 31 semisubterranean houses from two Thule winter village sites in the Canadian High Arctic using multivariate statistics and computer-aided drafting reveals a range of architectural variability that may represent attempts by Thule builders to accommodate 1) fluctuations in the availability of key building materials, 2) differences in household mobility, or 3) whaling-related social differentiation between households. These results have important implications for understanding the relationships among house form, environment, and culture in Thule Inuit society.

Résumé

Résumé

La casa semisubterranea de huesos de ballena es uno de los aspectos más reconocibles de la eultura Thule Inuit. Después de su llegada en al ártico canadiense hace aproximadamente mil años, la gente de Thule construyó estas viviendas impresionantes y a menudo enigmáticas para ocupación durante los meses del invierno. La variabilidad en las caracteristicas arquitectánicas de las casas semisubterraneas ha sido utilizada para los arqueólogos para deducir las relaciones culturales y históricas entre las regiones, y establece distinciones funcionales y/o estacionales en uso. Un análisis de 31 casas semisubterraneas de dos sitios Thules de invierno en el ártico alto canadiense usando estadistica multivariente y computer-aided drafting révéla un rango de variabilidadarquitectónica quepueda representar ensayospor los construetores Thules de acomodar l) fluctuaciones en la disponibilidad de los materiales de construction dominantes, 2) las diferencias en movilidad de la casa о 3) diferenciación social entre las casas relacionada a la pesca de ballenas. Estos resultados tienen implicaciones importantes para entender el lazo entre la forma de la casa, el ambiente y la eultura en la sociedad de Thule Inuit.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 66 , Issue 3 , July 2001 , pp. 453 - 470
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 2001

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