Thule as Frontier

Abstract

Located in Northwest Greenland, the Thule region is a remarkable frontier zone. This article focusses on the undecided nature of the frontier in both time and space. The article explores the unstable ground upon which ‘resources’ emerge as such. The case is made in three analytical parts: The first discusses the notion of commons and the implicit issue of spatiality. The second shows how the region’s living resources were perceived and poses a question of sustainability. The third centres on the Arctic as a ‘contact zone’; a place for colonial encounters and a meeting ground between human and nonhuman agents.

Archaeological evidence of resource utilisation of walrus, Odobenus rosmarus, over the past two millennia: A systematic review protocol

“…The time periods between 1 CE and the present day were characterised by large-scale environmental, demographic and societal change (e.g., 21 , 82 – 95 ) and during this time, significant expansion occurred within Arctic and subarctic Indigenous communities 90 , 96 – 98 . In addition, there were increased interactions with European migrants and seafarers benefitting from ocean resources, including walrus, via expanding trade networks 99 – 104 . Additionally, walruses predominantly inhabit Arctic and subarctic habitats that are known to have been characterised by cooler and warmer periods throughout the Holocene, likely impacting walrus distribution and availability 32 , 81 , 105 , 106 .…”