Ancient People of the Arctic
244 pages, 6 x 9
97 b&w illustrations
Paperback
Release Date:15 Oct 2001
ISBN:9780774808545
Ancient People of the Arctic traces the lives of the Palaeo-Eskimos, the bold first explorers of the Arctic. Four thousand years ago, these people entered the far northern extremes of the North American continent, carving a living out of their bleak new homeland. From the hints they left behind, accessible only through the fragmented archaeological record, Robert McGhee ingeniously reconstructs a picture of this life at the margins. He discusses how the Palaeo-Eskimos spread across the entire Arctic, explains how they dealt with sharp climate changes that drastically altered their environment, offers glimpses into their spiritual practices and world view, and speculates about their eventual demise.
Ancient People of the Arctic is the most comprehensive book on the prehistory of the Paleo-Eskimos to date. It’s food for thought that could give us the sense of history and place we so badly need.
Reconstructing their migration and their daily lives from perfectly preserved and house remains and artifacts, McGhee paints a fascinating portrait, enhancing it with dozens of maps, drawings, and photographs of Paleo-Eskimo sites, tools, and decorative art.
A vibrant celebration of the artistic and cultural vision of the early peoples.
Makes [the] story of continent-wide migrations, adaptations to harsh environments, and dramatic climate change come alive ... This most enjoyable book tells a tale of epic proportions and will appeal to anyone with an interest in the North and its history.
Robert McGhee is an archaeologist who has conducted thirty years of research on the ancient history of Arctic peoples. He is the author of numerous publications, among them Ancient Canada (1989) and Canada Rediscovered (1991). He is currently a curator of archaeology at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
1 A People of the Imagination
2 Eskimo History
3 An Asiatic People in America
4 The People of the Muskox Way
5 The Great Exploration
6 When the Climate Changes
7 How an Arctic Culture Was Transformed
8 The Dorset People
9 Lost Visions
10 Encounters and Isolation
11 The End of the Dorset World
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