Avayalik Islands

Avayalik Islands
Avayalik Islands is located in Newfoundland and Labrador
Avayalik Islands
Location within Newfoundland and Labrador
Avayalik Islands is located in Canada
Avayalik Islands
Location within Canada
Geography
LocationNewfoundland and Labrador
Coordinates60°06′37″N 64°13′20″W / 60.1102513°N 64.2223573°W / 60.1102513; -64.2223573 (Avayalik Islands)
Major islands2
Administration
Canada
Newfoundland and Labrador
Demographics
Population0

The Avayalik Islands are a group of islands off the very northern tip of Labrador, in the Northern Atlantic Ocean, in present-day Canada. They consist of two main islands, and at least seven smaller landmasses. It was first visited by archaeologists in 1967, when a team led by Patrick Plumet arrived for the first archaeological expedition.

History

The Avayalik islands were likely settled by the Middle Dorset people in the 5th to 7th centuries AD. Archaeological studies found several structures, including a winter house roughly 3–4 meters on each side, with a 3-4 meter long entrance tunnel, built during the same period.

Avayalik-1 is a Dorset archaeological site on one of the islands. It contains examples of indigenous yarn that were once suspected of having a medieval Norse origin. Dating the yarn at Avayalik-1 established an indigenous technique for spinning cordage from native animals like the Arctic hare and muskox. The yarn, like examples from other Dorset sites, was always used as cordage and never woven into fabric. Patricia Sutherland found yarn being excavated that was distinct from the sinew-based cordage typically used by Indigenous Arctic hunters. Later dating showed that it predated the Norse arrival. Analysis of the yarn showed evidence for the Dorset spinning their own cordage and trading in a network that included the Norse, but not for a Norse settlement on the island.

References

  1. ↑ Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Avayalik Islands". www4.rncan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  2. 1 2 Jordan, Richard H. (1980). "Preliminary Results from Archaeological Investigations on Avayalik Island, Extreme Northern Labrador". Arctic. 33 (3): 607–627. doi:10.14430/arctic2586. JSTOR 40509064.
  3. ↑ "An Archaeological Assessment of Avayalik-1 | Bowdoin College". www.bowdoin.edu. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  4. ↑ "An Archaeological Assessment of Avayalik-1". Arctic Museum.
  5. ↑ Park, Robert W. (March 2008). "Contact between the Norse Vikings and the Dorset culture in Arctic Canada". Antiquity. 82 (315): 189–198. doi:10.1017/S0003598X0009654X.
  6. ↑ Hayeur Smith, Michèle; Smith, Kevin P.; Nilsen, Gørill (August 2018). "Dorset, Norse, or Thule? Technological transfers, marine mammal contamination, and AMS dating of spun yarn and textiles from the Eastern Canadian Arctic". Journal of Archaeological Science. 96: 162–174. Bibcode:2018JArSc..96..162H. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2018.06.005. hdl:10037/14501.
  7. ↑ Pringle, Heather (19 October 2012). "Evidence of Viking Outpost Found in Canada". National Geographic News. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 17 May 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  8. ↑ Park, Robert W. (1 March 2008). "Contact Between the Norse Vikings and the Dorset Culture in Arctic Canada". Antiquity. 82 (315): 189–198. doi:10.1017/S0003598X0009654X.
  9. ↑ Smith, Michèle Hayeur; Smith, Kevin P.; Nilsen, Gørill (August 2018). "Dorset, Norse, or Thule? Technological Transfers, Marine Mammal Contamination, and AMS Dating of Spun Yarn and Textiles from the Eastern Canadian Arctic". Journal of Archaeological Science. 96: 162–174. Bibcode:2018JArSc..96..162H. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2018.06.005. hdl:10037/14501.
  10. ↑ Pinard, Claude (2008). Review of Dynamics of Northern Societies: Proceedings of the SILA/NABO Conference on Arctic and North Atlantic Archaeology. Greenland Research Centre, National Museum of Denmark, Studies in Archaeology and History Vol. 10. Canadian Journal of Archaeology. Vol. 32, no. 1. pp. 168–170. JSTOR 41103615.