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13 - The Discovery and Rapid Demise of the Sadlermiut

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2018

By
Charles F. Merbs
Edited by
Daniel H. Temple  and
Christopher M. Stojanowski
Daniel H. Temple
Affiliation:
George Mason University, Virginia
Christopher M. Stojanowski
Affiliation:
Arizona State University
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Summary

This chapter examines bioarchaeological evidence of resilience and specialization among the Sadlermiut, a population that existed in relative isolation from the Inuit and developed a unique variation of the Thule Culture. The Sadlermiut remained isolated from European until 1824 (unlike other Iniut). Isolation and intensification is demonstrated from the persistence of material culture including graves, lithic industries, and watercraft technology, while skeletal evidence for dental chipping and tooth wear, traumatic injuries, and degenerative joint conditions attest to the intensive lifestyle of these populations. This high degree of isolation and specialization within the the Sadlermiut socioecological and cultural system likely reduced the capacity for resilience in response to European contact. This is well demonstrated by mortuary evidence for minor epidemics and dwindling population sizes. These results suggest that population collapse during periods of contact is less a consequence of inferior technology or ability to withstand disease, but instead may reflect variation in the capacity for resilience when these instances introduce challenges to survival.
Type
Chapter
Information
Hunter-Gatherer Adaptation and Resilience
A Bioarchaeological Perspective
 , pp. 302 - 327
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2018

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