Micromorphological Analyses of Inuit Communal Sod Houses in Northern Labrador, Canada

Abstract

As part of ongoing multidisciplinary research at Uivak Point (HjCl‐09) and Oakes Bay 1 (HeCg‐8) in Labrador, Canada, undisturbed soil samples were collected in order to document archaeological sediments and examine anthropogenic processes within Inuit sod houses through soil micromorphology. These structures consist of multifamily winter dwellings used in Labrador and Greenland, which have been variously associated with Inuit social changes following contact with Europeans and environmental conditions prevailing during the “Little Ice Age.” Analyses of thin sections revealed anthropogenic features that can be associated with specific activities that are also documented independently through archaeological, anthropological, and historical sources. While sleeping platforms were characterized by low frequencies of wood and burnt organic matter, adjacent floor areas had moderate accumulations of a variety of anthropogenic features. The entrance tunnel area collected dense deposits of various kinds of detritus that showed evidence of trampling. Nevertheless, dedicated activity areas could not be documented with precision because of the small number of samples and the unexpected impact of household cleaning events.