We made a couple of landings to visit the remains of Paleo Eskimo winter houses; these are estimated to be up to 1000 years old. Paleo Eskimoes are the peoples who inhabited the Arctic region prior to the arrival of the modern Inuit. From what I can gather the Eskimos or Inuit came to Greenland from Canada where, according to some sources, the Inuit were among the last Native groups to come into North America. They crossed the Bering land bridge sometime between 6000 BC and 2000 BC. I am really struggling with my lack of knowledge particularly about the far north. So much to know, such as ancient history! Quite fascinating.
Not a bad holiday spot. Look at that scene, the sun hitting that golden seam of rock
This is the remains of a lintel over the entrance to one of the houses. Our armed expedition leader in the background.
Some bone tools
We saw many burial sites, this is one of them. They scraped out a depression in the frozen soil, laid the body inside then piled rocks on top to keep the bears, foxes and wolves away.
The streams of water you can see going into the sea came from high up on the ridge. Some of our group walked up there hoping to see musk ox, I combed the lower slopes for interesting things - and saw a few musk ox in the distance. I was happy.
Another burial site
Bone implements and glorious lichen
Quite fascinating - the ingenuity.
I could actually see bones in there.
Amazing ancient sites but all the while there is a magnificent backdrop of remote Greenland. And not far over those hills is the ice cap.
These ‘structures’ were similar to the primitive dwellings we saw at archaeological sites in the Outer Hebrides last year.
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