An Igluryuaq Unearthed: A Pre-Contact Inuvialuit Cruciform House from Arctic Canada

Abstract

ABSTRACT Across the North American Arctic, Inuit societies constructed a broad array of sophisticated dwellings. One particularly large and complex type known from the Mackenzie Delta region is the cruciform house, a form of semi-subterranean sod house (igluryuaq in the Sallirmiutun Inuvialuktun dialect) with three alcoves extending from its main floor area. Due to a variety of factors, including the scale of excavation required, one has not been fully excavated with modern methods until now. Here, we present a description of a completely excavated cruciform house from Kuukpak on the East Channel of the Mackenzie River. Not only does this allow the definition of many aspects of the house’s form, dimensions, and construction techniques, it also indicates several episodes of alteration and rebuilding over the course of the house’s occupation.