Archaeology of the Late Western Thule/Iñupiat in North Alaska (. 1300–1750)

This chapter covers the Late Western Thule (LWT) and precontact Iñupiat of Northern Alaska, the most recent archaeological manifestation of the Northern Maritime tradition. From a maritime-adapted, whale-hunting culture living in semisubterranean sod-covered houses, this culture expanded to include inland settlements along rivers and in caribou hunting regions. The chronology of the LWT period is refined, based on recent advances in dating and many new dates. Other topics covered include settlement patterns and demography, technology, trade, architecture, social relations, mortuary practices, and the history and effects of contact with Euro-Americans. Several unresolved questions, including climate-change effects, the existence and nature of resource stress, and factors governing interior occupation are highlighted.