TY - JOUR

T1 - Coastal environments around Thule settlements in Northeast Greenland

AU - Kroon, Aart

AU - Jakobsen, Bjarne Holm

AU - Pedersen, Jørn Bjarke Torp

PY - 2010/12

Y1 - 2010/12

N2 - Inuit have travelled to and settled in the coastal landscapes of NortheastGreenland for several longer periods during the latest ca. 4500years. Most recently the Thule culture Inuit lived in the region fromaround 1400 until 1850 AD. The access to partly and periodicallyice covered near coastal waters has been crucial to the primarilymarine based subsistence strategy of the Thule Inuit culture, and theirsettlements are therefore found immediately at the coast. Changinggeological and geomorphologic settings strongly influence thecoastal morphodynamics, and only specific locations offer stableand protected conditions needed for proper winter settlements. Thecomprehensive study of coastal environments and Thule culturewinter settlements in the Young Sound region show an accumulationof winter settlements, nearly all located either in protected pocketbeaches or on stable basalt capes. The Thule culture abandonedNortheast Greenland about 1850 AD, and apart from settlementson basalt capes, most of the winter settlement sites in pocket beachareas have been affected by erosion of local character and in somecases also affected by increasing wave erosion during recent periodsof less ice in near coastal waters.

AB - Inuit have travelled to and settled in the coastal landscapes of NortheastGreenland for several longer periods during the latest ca. 4500years. Most recently the Thule culture Inuit lived in the region fromaround 1400 until 1850 AD. The access to partly and periodicallyice covered near coastal waters has been crucial to the primarilymarine based subsistence strategy of the Thule Inuit culture, and theirsettlements are therefore found immediately at the coast. Changinggeological and geomorphologic settings strongly influence thecoastal morphodynamics, and only specific locations offer stableand protected conditions needed for proper winter settlements. Thecomprehensive study of coastal environments and Thule culturewinter settlements in the Young Sound region show an accumulationof winter settlements, nearly all located either in protected pocketbeaches or on stable basalt capes. The Thule culture abandonedNortheast Greenland about 1850 AD, and apart from settlementson basalt capes, most of the winter settlement sites in pocket beachareas have been affected by erosion of local character and in somecases also affected by increasing wave erosion during recent periodsof less ice in near coastal waters.

M3 - Journal article

VL - 110

SP - 143

EP - 154

JO - Geografisk Tidsskrift

JF - Geografisk Tidsskrift

SN - 0016-7223

IS - 2

ER -