essay

The bones from Qeqertasussuk: the earliest human remains from Greenland

paleo-eskimo cultures of greenland : a new perspective in greenlandic archaeology : papers from a symposium at the institute of archaeology and ethnology, university of copenhagen, may 21-24, 1992 (1) • Published In 1996 • Pages: 35-37

By: Koch, Anders, Frøhlich, Bruno, Lynnerup, Niels, Hart Hansen, Jens Peder.

Abstract
Four fragmentary human bones were found in 1986 in a midden at the Saqqaq settlement of Qeqertasussuk and radiocarbon dated to between 2400 and 2200 B.C. These bones represent the only known human Paleo-Eskimo remains from Greenland. 'The bones were dated to the earliest period of the Saqqaq Culture and were found to represent two or three different persons, probably an elderly male and a middle-aged and an adult female. The bones of the elderly male showed diminished amount of calcium. No causes of death could be determined' (p. 35).
Subjects
Anthropometry
Dating methods in archaeology
Laboratory analysis of materials other than dating methods in archaeology
tradition
Eastern Arctic Small Tool
HRAF PubDate
2000
Region
North America
Sub Region
Arctic and Subarctic
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Archaeologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
John Beierle; 1998
Field Date
ca. 1986
Coverage Date
4400 BP- 3600 BP)
Coverage Place
Saqqaq settlement of Qeqertasussuk, Disko Bugt, western Greenland
Notes
Anders Koch, Bruno Frøhlich, Niels Lynnerup and Jens Peder Hart Hansen
Includes bibliographical references (see document 7:Anonymous)
LCSH
Arctic regions--Antiquities