Dorset Settlement and Subsistence in Northern Labrador

Abstract

Archaeological surveys in northern Labrador have supplemented previous evidence from the central coast concerning the Dorset subsistence-settlement system. The evidence suggests a flexible Dorset economic base capable of exploiting a wide variety of environments, but lacking full development of certain food procurement systems that would later become important in Thule culture. In particular, site location and faunal analysis indicate that breathing hole sealing was not strongly developed by the Dorset, and that winter and spring settlement was oriented toward ice edge seal and walrus hunting.