Dorset Culture and the Arctic Odyssey

[@land980]

There are two somewhat recent genetic studies that have endeavored to find any trace of a pre-Inuit legacy existing in Arctic populations currently: 1.) One is by Raff et al. 2015; *Mitochondrial diversity in Inupiat people from the Alaska North Slope provides evidence for the origins of Paleo- & Neo-Eskimos* 2.) Next is by Grebenyuk et al. 2019; *Ancient cultures and migrations in the light of the Holocene population history of extreme Northeast Asia* The first study is by a researcher you probably know of well by now, Dr. Jennifer Raff. Her new book "Origin" goes over much of the past 12 years concerning ancient American dna. The second one is by a Russian ethnographer, Pavel Grebenyuk. It draws from much of the same lithic/material culture you mention in this video but it also retraces the Paleosiberian genetic trail from the greater Baikal region in the Neolithic up towards and across the Bering Strait. Both seem to confirm at least a minor remnant of the earliest Arctic inhabitants still live on in people living there today.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! Love the info!

[@Simonjose7258]

Wow 👏

[@crochetcocoking4275]

Yeah when a culture disappear it's usually because most of it was assimilated.

[@MasaMasa-hv9fl]

He talking like Ancient Americans

[@xanv8051]

@@MasaMasa-hv9fl rule of cultural cannibalism applies like galactic cannibalism two universe combine

[@dustythor7114]

You should have mentioned how driftwood was so important to Inuit cultures that each piece is believed to have it's own spirit and one should flip driftwood over so it can sun the other side to make the spirit happy.

[@AncientAmericas]

Interesting. Did not know that!

[@aethelredtheready1739]

That is an interesting ritualization of part of the necessary process for using driftwood. I bet these non-Inuit cultures did this too, though it would be interesting to know if they ritualized it too.

[@DiMacky24]

I mean, I recognise it's of religious significance, but making the other side of the wood feel happy is really an endearing explanation. It's similar to how in Japan, it's a saying that in every grain of rice live seven gods, and so you must never drop rice on the ground or spoil it.

[@dustythor7114]

​@@aethelredtheready1739 I always figured it was less about ritualizing it and finding a way to encourage your children to perform an important action and how to pass that information on to their children in a way a small child would quickly understand. Like telling your kids Qallupilluit will steal children that wander too close to the ice so they stay away from the water.

[@aethelredtheready1739]

@@dustythor7114 I’m just imagining some little kid asking their parent if they are flipping the wood over to make it happy, and the parent just not really paying attention and agreeing, leading to a belief like this lol

[@FramesJanco505]

As a history nerd who’s always found it a bit irritating to read much of the vague history of the Americas, it makes me very happy to see at least one channel doing a killer job at extracting whatever details they can regarding these mysterious ancient peoples. Much love from New Mexico 🤘🏽

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@cattymajiv]

@@yannfoucher7277 Why would you accuse this commentor of a mistake that was made by the video maker, and a very minor one at that?! Are you trying to make yourself feel like you are an expert, just because you heard that in another video? 🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@pedros7341]

​@@yannfoucher7277gatekeeping history lol. How constructive for society. A real history nerd wouldn't do that 😉

[@enixxe]

It's always a good day when a new Ancient Americas video releases.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you. I think so too!

[@nathanwise6385]

For real.

[@aussieflintknapping]

My favourite videos to cook dinner to

[@philpaine3068]

This was a superb little documentary. You have distilled a large amount of research into something accessible to non-specialists, without sacrificing any scientific rigor. No silly stuff, just the facts. I was particularly pleased that you pointed out the source and use of driftwood. I still vividly remember walking along piles of Siberian driftwood on the Canadian arctic shore.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@Carloshache]

​@@AncientAmericas I think you should make a deal with a tv documentary studio , because the histories you tell here are so interesting they should be seen by a wider audience.

[@Beer4Breakfast]

@@Carloshache tv documentary deals?? In this economic climate??!

[@VoidLantadd]

Probably better off on KZbin if the alternative is the History Channel

[@ianbruce6515]

​@@VoidLantadd The History Channel is a crime against humanity. Many people who missed out on much of an education for various reasons, who later discover an intense interest in History--are horribly betrayed by that channel! They don't know enough to know how badly they are being misled.

[@mateomendoza5586]

Greetings from Ecuador!! I’m from the city of Manta/Jocay, ancestral home to the Manteño-Huancavilca civilization the great sailors of the americas. I can not tell you how much I love your content, i’m always looking forward to the next episode. Keep up the good work!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@ThePhoenix109]

You are a spaniard

[@shazzorama]

Sweet. Cool to meet ya here. 😅

[@JonnoPlays]

This is better than anything on the History channel. Great work 🥂

[@AncientAmericas]

Thanks!

[@annoyed707]

That 24 hour pawn star marathon not what you wanted?

[@jonathanlatremouille9746]

Just a note, I really really like when you make comments like at 13:20 about the feeling of coming across a beach covered in driftwood. Gave me chills. I love thinking about the very human moments that have undoubtedly happened in all of human history. It really makes you feel there

[@limbandtreeremoval]

True, seems instinctual (still)...

[@hedgehog3180]

Ancient equivilant of entering a cave in Minecraft and seeing ores everywhere.

[@cattymajiv]

@@hedgehog3180 No. Not at all similar. All gamers need to wake up and get a life.

[@brooke9188]

I agree :)

[@Vienna3080]

I am super fascinated by Arctic peoples i cant wait for this to premiere

[@gabem3593]

I've been fascinated by the Dorset culture for so long, but I never knew where to start with research. Thank you so much for this video!!!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! Check the bibliography if you want to see the books I used.

[@gabem3593]

@@AncientAmericas Thank you so much!! I will! Your channel is easily my favorite history youtube channel. It's always the perfect depth of content and nobody else is covering it in the quality you do. It's made me inspired to study much more precolumbian history in college, so thank you so much!!

[@Euriprides]

I remember reading an account of an Inuit oral tradition about the Tunit, saying that they had "no kayaks, nor bows". It perfectly suits the finding that the bow and arrow, as well as boats, are absent from Dorset sites. It further identifies the Dorset with the Tunit.

[@nelliekaigelak833]

We had skinned boats called umiaqs lol-an inuit from alaska

[@rbran]

@@nelliekaigelak833i mean this is about the tunit not the Inuit lmao

[@mercator5484]

@@nelliekaigelak833it‘s about the people you displaced and killed no judgment it‘s just a fact

[@cattymajiv]

@@mercator5484 Who the F are you accusing?! I'm sure there is plenty that your ancestors did that we can accuse YOU of too!

[@recmuralartcommission1993]

“No judgement just fact” alright bud

[@thelordandsaviorgigachadrr888]

So I've honestly only done some basic reading on Arctic cultures of North America, and I wanted to know A. Are there ANY descendants of the Dorset Culture, or ANY other Paleo-Eskimo Culture that preceded the Thule Culture? and B. Considering that both the Paleo-Eskimo and Inuit (as well as those related to Inuit) speaking peoples are relatively distinct (correct me if I'm wrong on this as I may have had an outdated source and I never checked the date) from the main group of indigenous Americans (the ones that may or may not have descended from pre-clovis migrations, population dispersal, and rapid diversification), I was wondering what are the Northernmost "Native American" peoples or tribes that live in the Arctic, and which one is the oldest one to live there?

[@AncientAmericas]

The Dorset have no genetic relationship with the Thule or inuit. As for earlier archaic peoples, they never inhabited the high arctic.

[@thelordandsaviorgigachadrr888]

@@AncientAmericas oh ok. Was it too hard for earlier archaic peoples to settle the high arctic, or are there other reasons?

[@xuanluu4873]

@@AncientAmericas I actually kinda find it hard to believe the Dorset DIDN’T bone their way into the Thules and Inuits, since the only barrier effective in preventing mixing of groups is geography

[@alexdunphy3716]

@@xuanluu4873 the Inuit mostly genocide them. They were a very hostile people. Part of why the Danes had to leave Greenland was because the Inuit wouldn't trade with them much like the Dorset would and just kept attacking then

[@AncientAmericas]

@@xuanluu4873 Perhaps but at the moment, the genetic evidence doesn't reflect. That could easily change with more progress though.

[@williamharris8367]

33:30 -- Thank-you for talking about the trade networks. This topic is only very rarely covered in documentaries like this, yet it is something that particularly interests me.

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@mariannerichard1321]

McGill University found a peculiar DNA signature among Northern Quebec Inuits, while looking for the root a local health problem. it was suggested that they maybe the last descendants of the Dorset people, who integrated into the Inuit culture at some point.

[@AncientAmericas]

Cool! Would you happen to have the title and author of that study? I'd love to take a look.

[@mariannerichard1321]

I think this is it, 'Genetic architecture and adaptations of Nunavik Inuit' by Sirui Zhou: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31332017/

[@mariannerichard1321]

@Janitor Queen Maybe they are super busy or maybe they are offline for a weekend in the wood. It doesn't matter, the information is there for anyone who's interested. ^_^

[@lettyk1818]

@@AncientAmericas “Genetic architecture and adaptations of Nunavik Inuit”. Sirui Zhou et. al (2019)

[@AncientAmericas]

@@lettyk1818 Thank you!!

[@douglasboyle6544]

I'm glad you found a way to include the bit about the driftwood because that was fascinating, I never would have thought about it.

[@bizuko2307]

I'm always impressed with how well-researched these videos are.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@ronmaximilian6953]

Thank you for once again making the type of series that I would have loved to have found on the History Channel or public television. That you have done so with a small budget and limited staff speaks to your resourcefulness in the face of adversity.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@domshelley9520]

🇨🇦 here. Talking about Dorset and Vikings, I believe they had contact. L'anse aux Meadows Vikings, just go due east by water to Fleur de Lys a small fishing village . And also at the end of the highway from land call The Dorset Trail. In Fleur de Lys there is a museum of Dorset site with burial ground, jewelry and soap stone carving sites. I think this will answer some of your questions. Good luck.

[@pinchevulpes]

It reminds me of my own tribes relationship with the patrons of the land who came before, the Ancestral Pueblo and Diné. We speak of great reverence for them, but I suspect we destroyed them or at least played a part in their down fall. How convenient that with another people group coming to your region you are displaced and vanish within 300-400 years was my thought.

[@daviddawson1718]

Femto has something to say, and the right to say it. I think it is worth listening to, reading, and listening one more time.

[@richardgates5786]

Not so different from western European reverence for the Roman empire, although it's not a perfect comparison.

[@therealdarklizzy]

I am curious if you have heard the theory that the family of languages that Navajo belong to are related to a Siberian language family called Yenisian? There are genetic markers connecting Athabaskan speakers with people in central Siberia, and some linguists have found similarities between the two language families.

[@hedgehog3180]

@@richardgates5786 They are both famous for their roads though.

[@youaregodspursuit]

I compliment you on your narrative scripts. Any teaching can falter and lose the students interest via a lack of enthusiasm, poor use of language skills and treating the students as if they are ill informed. You and whatever crew you have risen above these challenges. Your narrative is always engaging and treat us as listener/students with respect. I like almost all of it, the pacing, interjection of some self-deprecation and an honest statement like, "I do not know." This reminds me so much of the skills used in early radio. And yes, I am old enough to have listened to radio in the glory days of the late '40's through the '60's. Thank you for all that you do!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! I'm very lucky to be able to cover a lot of interesting topics that don't require a lot of treatment to be fascinating.

[@MrGamerGuy951]

I am a viking age reenactor and my partner is indigenous North American. She is choosing to portray a Dorset woman who married a nordic man and lives amongst vikings. This video is such a huge help on how we can expand her display. Yes, it’s not documented but it is plausible given the .02% Icelandic DNA is north american.

[@madderhat5852]

Thank you patrons for making this choice and thank you Anc.Amer. for another great documentary of cultures rarely or never taught. Truly amazing and enlighening.

[@catylotl]

I grew up in southeast AK and learned some pre-inuit but this was much more in depth and interesting. Ty for the work and care you put into these vids!

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@sierrrrrrrra]

I actually let out a scream with excitement when I saw this upload!! I'm fascinated by the Arctic and am so excited to watch this episode. Cheers!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! Hope you enjoy it!

[@eardwulf785]

Considering the fate of Terror and Erebus gives testament to the amazing survival skills of these cultures.

[@johnmaccallum7935]

I always found this subject fascinating as well. One point though is a Tule legend that the Dorsets were very large, very powerful people yet timid and possessed no bows and arrows. It was said one Dorset man could drag a walrus across the ice single handed. I believe the Vikings ran into the remaining Dorset people when they first came to Greenland during the Medieval Warm Period. The same climatic conditions which led to the Viking expansion led to the Dorset extinction. I should have waited till the end before commenting as you hit upon my bullet points. Bravo great job.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@aloysiuslchomas]

Babe wake up, new Ancient Americas video

[@AncientAmericas]

Let her sleep! She's got two days!

[@teucer915]

I love when you go into detail about peoples I've never even *heard* of. This kind of content is why I love educational KZbin.

[@shawnparadise6504]

Thanks for the videos. They are always incredible.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@jgstevens5169]

When you episode was noted to appear, I started reading what I could find about this culture. Your research was phenomenal. Thank you for your easily understood presentation. Well worth the wait and anticipation.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@NoMoreCrumbs]

Been fascinated with arctic settlement and survival since watching season 1 of The Terror. Thanks for making this video!

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome! How's that show? Never seen it but heard pretty good things about it.

[@NoMoreCrumbs]

Haven't seen the second season, but the first is superb. I bought the book afterwards, and binged the whole thing in like 2 weeks. The show is absolutely worth watching, even if it's historical fiction

[@Tsuruchi_420]

When you started talking about the Inuit arriving and outcompeting the Dorset i couldn't stop thinking about the Inuit showing up with the wide Putin meme song and just going around hunting whales, breakdancing on a moving sled and 360° oneshoting caribou with a bow Ah the memes that shall never exist

[@savedbygracealone7364]

Be the change you want to see in world 🫡

[@Foogi9000]

Y'know whenever I watch or read content on archaic cultures I always wonder what kind of daily rituals they had and what their music is like. How did they raise their children, what kind of myths or folklore did they spook their children with to get them to behave. Even in the most remote frozen places people will still be people and so I always wonder what sort of things they did and believed.

[@AncientAmericas]

Good lord, I wish we could know.

[@nelliekaigelak833]

Lots of elders didnt like to pass down stories after leaving residential school so we dont have much info about that, There are shamans, little people etc til this day, quite a bit of hunters have encountered while hunting, but the stories are barely told.

[@CeleryKing523]

I’ve been looking for a little documentary type video about the people of the American Arctic. Such a fascinating place, seemingly so devoid of the potential for life, yet somehow humans still managed to settle there! Thank you for such an interesting and fascinating video.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@nomeansno5481]

One of my favorite theories is that the Beothuk people of Newfoundland were actually the descendants of the Dorset culture who migrated further eastwards as more Inuit peoples migrated into their formerly-occupied lands. This is in contrast to other theories that state that they're either an EasternAlgonquian people similar to the Mi'kmaq or they're remnants of a much larger Athabaskan population that migrated eastwards much earlier than the migration southwards to become the Apache.

[@AncientAmericas]

Interesting theory!

[@moseyburns1614]

there are Dorset archaeological sites all over Newfoundland so that wouldn't be so surprising.

[@everettduncan7543]

The problem with the Athabaskan theory is that no Y-DNA haplogroup C material has been found from the Beothuk. C is found in Eurasian and Na-Dené populations only.

[@cattymajiv]

@@moseyburns1614 Dorset? Are you sure? All over Newfoundland? I will go and check that, but for now I seriously doubt it. I could see maybe there are a few in northern Labrador, a long way north of the island of Newfoundland, but as far as I know there are not Dorset sites all over any place! This is the problem for people who pretend in the comments to know things they actually do not know. Other people check up on it, then come back and call that person out. So I would be careful in what I claim.

[@portalthefella]

so cool to see these groups represented, like a lot of cultures in the americas arctic cultures are heavily under represented and misunderstood in pop culture. really neat to learn things about them!

[@upnorth1511]

Amazing content. I'm from Greenland, Disko Bay area. The arts looks really familiar to our culture. I hope more archaeological work will be able to answer the uncertain pieces.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@flyingeagle3898]

super excellent topic and well covered. I just wish we went a bit deeper into the past and the history of the Siberian/Alaskan crossing but the Dorset themselves are very well-covered

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you. I originally had some notes on some of the cultures around the Bering Strait but had to cut them out to keep the episode focused. Maybe someday, I'll cover those Alaskan and Siberian cultures in more detail. They are very interesting.

[@copperlemon1]

I'm inclined to wonder whether these later crossings from Siberia brought old world diseases in the same way Europeans did centuries later. Could possibly be a factor for the disappearance of the Dorset.

[@AncientAmericas]

Good question but the answer is no. Siberian populations were similarly isolated and lacked a lot of old-world immunity and when Russian, Japanese and Americans began encountering people in Siberia, they were subsequently hit hard by disease just like the indigenous Americans were centuries before.

[@thecaveofthedead]

@@AncientAmericas that's fascinating in itself - that Siberians were isolated by the harsh conditions of their region without the huge distances of ocean that we assume are necessary. But actually I think here in South Africa the aboriginal hunter gatherers were hit far harder by diseases brought by Europeans than those descended from West African pastoral farmers.

[@flyingeagle3898]

@@thecaveofthedead Yeah the San peoples of South Africa and Namibia were an exception to the general level of immunity most Africans enjoyed to farmer diseases, but they still had some immunity and unfortunately much of their decline was due to the fact that the Dutch and Brtish were much less understanding when it came to hunter-gatherer lifestyles land, then they were toward farmers.

[@flyingeagle3898]

@@thecaveofthedead Yes, though it does appear that Siberians(and the Inuit) might have fared a bit better than most native Americans. The declines in their population were usually 50-80% on contact with Russians/British/French instead of the 90-95% reported in much of the Americas. So they might have gotten some benefit from more recent contact with the dense old world population centers even if it wasn't complete protection.

[@thecaveofthedead]

@@flyingeagle3898 Oh for sure they were brutally murdered by colonists. I'm certainly not trying to get them off the hook. And for sure the Xhoi and San didn't suffer the kinds of complete population losses that most Americans did.

[@angryatheist]

Very informative, thank you so much for your work bro, Just fyi we have Viking sources, in the Greenland sagas that actually mention the native peoples and they were both violent and peaceful, but generally not friendly encounters between the cultures

[@AncientAmericas]

Yes, I'm familiar with those accounts and they are not pleasant encounters. However, those people are not Dorset but most likely Beothuk from Newfoundland.

[@CWS-h5z]

Thank you for this one - and for all of this series - it is so fascinating to learn about all the different people and cultures who lived long before - the spiritual beliefs, their art, the skills and tools they developed and the ways they lived on the land.

[@littlesnowflakepunk855]

Reading the sagas, particularly the Grœnlendinga saga, it's interesting to picture how the interactions between the Norse and the natives to Greenland and parts of Canada actually went. It's clear that there was some interaction there, most of it hostile, but it's unclear how much of the story was distorted by Norse cultural ideals of ultra-masculinity, conquest, and dying in battle. Apparently on first contact with the native people of Greenland, Leif Erikson's brother Thorvald captured and killed eight of the native people, and then got shot in the armpit and died.

[@AncientAmericas]

Yeah, I'm not entirely sure what I think of those accounts but they are very interesting nonetheless.

[@therealdarklizzy]

One can't help but wonder if the Dorset people contracted European diseases from the Vikings which wiped them out, which could explain their conquest by the Inuit.

[@AncientAmericas]

@@therealdarklizzy an intriguing possibility!

[@HeronPoint2021]

every settlement for the Vikings was governed by the Church. you introduce religious bias into the mix, and it's usually not a good thing. it prevents trade, tolerance, and perpetuates the class system and the way you look at other different from you and your way of doing things.

[@thefisherking78]

Man I don't know how I missed this when it first came out but it's a great one. Thank you so much

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@qwertyuiopgarth]

I hope you cover what is known about how/why the Dorset Culture ended. Supplanted by? Evolved into?

[@AncientAmericas]

We shall see...

[@qwertyuiopgarth]

@@AncientAmericas It was excellent, which is why I've been a subscriber ever since I found your videos.

[@kevinelruler]

You have no idea of how much I appreciate what you do. Thank you.

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@sarahwatts7152]

Until this point, my only really firm idea about life in the Arctic was One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk (a 2019 movie that straddles fiction and nonfiction, and which is stunningly beautiful). I'm happy to know that it wasn't only Inuit people up there, as that was somehow my assumption before watching this video

[@youtubeuser1993]

One of the best archeology/history channels on KZbin!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@larrymyers6327]

I lived in Alaska among the Yupik for 4 years. They refer to themselves as Eskimo. Eskimo means raw meat eater.

[@morganbonczek6428]

This is a great channel and I would love to see you do a video about the Chinchorro culture and their mummies!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@eggboi4564]

Was just thinking I needed a new video from you! I feel like you have the best timing every time.

[@AncientAmericas]

I do my best.

[@millerkingeekuk494]

Please do a story, history and Origin on Siberian Yupik/St. Lawrence Island Yupik. Thank you!

[@AncientAmericas]

The Yupik are on my list but I have no plans to cover them in the near future. Someday though!

[@pimpompoom93726]

Another great video, I'm delighted every time I see a new production of yours AA. I like your discussion of use of copper and iron, it's an interest of mine.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thanks!

[@terrilljones7598]

When I saw you had released a video about the Dorset culture and the other arctic cultures I almost screamed. Thank you

[@AncientAmericas]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@terrywallace5181]

Great program! Very informative. Leads me to think about modern migrations and changes.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@Sir-Cyr_Rill-Nil-Mill]

*_Demystify_*_ sent us here._ _Cherish is the new love, be well._ *May your God nod to ward thee & thine!* you voice sounds like my best friend in AZ, so it was extra pleasant to listen to their video with you, & I like the subject as well. =)

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

They struggled and prospered for thousands of years in a harsh and unforgiving environment and then were pushed out by a better adapted people into increasingly marginal lands until they died out; their(as far as we can tell) genetic and cultural legacies erased, all they ever were reduced to scattered artifacts and a few lines in the oral history of those who drove them to extinction, with not even scattered survivors assimilating into other groups. Just.... gone. Dust and echos. It's honestly pretty depressing.

[@AncientAmericas]

Sadly, nothing lasts forever.

[@cattymajiv]

@@AncientAmericas And it happened thousands of times all over the world. It is still sad though, when any culture dies out, because they're all so unique and beautiful, in their own way.

[@babanovac0232]

Such a wonderful video! One of the best I ever watch!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@thecaveofthedead]

As usual this episode had me saying, "holy sh**" out of astonishment - in this case with the reliance on, and presence of driftwood.

[@AncientAmericas]

There were a lot of "mind-blown" moments while researching this episode, the driftwood among them.

[@elfarlaur]

Another great video! I've been working on starting my own history channel on KZbin and yours has been one of the many which have inspired me to do so. Great, academic presentation in a captivating format.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thanks! I'm very pleased to hear that! If you ever need help or advice, feel free to reach me by the email on my channel's About section. What kind of history interests you?

[@elfarlaur]

@@AncientAmericas Mainly medieval Europe (that's what I did my masters on), but as a French Canadian I'm also interested in New France and indigenous history. I intend on focusing on the Middle Ages but I would like to also branch out more globally as well!

[@johnburke8337]

Just got suggested your video. You’re easy to listen to and very easy to gain new knowledge from. Fun topic too! Hope you keep up the good work!!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@akai4942]

Amazing video, I love the cold reaches of our earth, and this video was very informative and concise. I hope you one day make a video about its opposite end, the yahgan peoples of southern argentina and chile. I've read about them, and they say they had a genetic adaptation that allowed them to generate more body heat. They also had a rich and highly specific language with more words than many european languages today. Fun fact about the norse: Because the land they settled was uninhabited (the saqqaq culture had long disappeared and the dorset did not live in southern greenland at that time), that is, because they did not conquer but merely settled the land, the greenlander norse could be technically classified as a native americans. As a group they are extinct, but it's a fun fact nonetheless.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! Someday, I would like to cover them.

[@richiehoyt8487]

Yes, I've often thought this (about the Norse). It seems to be a point that isn't often appreciated. Like you, I am also fascinated by the enigmatic early people of Tierra del Fuego. Apparently their physical adaptation to the cold was so effective that they didn't much bother with clothes, although I've read that they would light little fires in their boats. I should say, I'm not an academic, and I'm sure you're probably already familiar with the above facts (or 'facts'?)

[@hedgehog3180]

Also weirdly the main reason Denmark colonized Greenland was out of concern that the Norse settlers there were still Catholic.

[@rexmundi3108]

There is an Inuit tradition that characterises the Dorset as "big freindly guys, easy to kill".. Their dissapearence is no mystery.

[@Konmonachi]

As a ethnic eskimo/inuit guy, i was wondering about expansion of my ancestor and i was curious why Dorset disappeared.

[@stupidminotaur9735]

Late 2010's researchers (from statelitt images) think 2000 to 3000 Norse were living in canada/ea..ei new flounland. 2. dna from iceland shows the norse brought back at least 1 native american woman

[@AncientAmericas]

I saw that DNA report. Very interesting indeed.

[@mattmatt6572]

I don't find DNA evidence from thousands of years ago to be very compelling. Is to many generations where DNA could be changed and to hard to tell if DNA crossed 500 years ago or 5000. That said I also believe that about 10,000 years ago all DNA had more in common and was less diverse.

[@bigbird772]

Thank you for putting so much into these

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@VLAD-yu6ul]

I love your videos! I have recently taken a fascination with American history and your videos are so informative and well crafted. Thank you so much! I do have a suggestion though, can you make a video on the Paracas culture of South America please?

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! Paracas culture is on my list so I hope to give them an episode some day.

[@VLAD-yu6ul]

@@AncientAmericas I can’t wait! :D

[@WORKERS.DREADNOUGHT]

My understanding is that "Inuit" are a particular people and to call everyone "Inuit" when they are not (like Yupik, Aleuts, Samoyeds etc.) is a bit like calling Canadians "Americans" or "Scots", English - or referring all Europeans as Finns. I know "Esquimaux" meaning "eaters of raw meat" can be construed as offensive, it maybe less offensive than mis-naming.

[@AncientAmericas]

Inuit is a broad term that encompasses many different groups that speak Inuit languages and have similar cultures. My understanding is that Yupik and Aleuts are distinct groups that speak different languages. They are not Inuit.

[@hedgehog3180]

My gut instinct is that the relatively small Dorset culture was quickly assimilated by the much larger and growing Thule culture and that's why little genetic relationship remains. This also seems like the most plausible explanation for why Dorset just seems to vanish for no clear reason. The Thule culture had more advanced hunting techniques able to produce a much larger surplus than the Dorset culture so joining them through alliance and intermarriage would have seemed tempting. Violence probably happened but if it was on a large scale then we'd see much more evidence of it I'd suspect, and in most situations it was probably unecessary if the Dorset were already under pressure from climatic changes. I think violent conflict might just be part of the stories to make them more exciting and to provide an easy explanation for why the Dorset were no longer around, similar to popular narratives surrounding the Anglo-Saxon conquest of England.

[@hollymorris785]

Worth the wait! So fascinating to imagine the dorset people meeting the norse!

[@hollymorris785]

@Janitor Queen ah, I guess I was just thinking of them as an evolution of the dorset culture, but I see your point😊👍

[@jfu5222]

Excellent job, I'm sure the learning process was a great experience for you, as it was for all of us! Now I'm off to learn more about these fascinating cultures!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@CleanupKrew7]

Amazing episode, great job!

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@JauntyCrepe]

Such an interesting topic. Thank you!!

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@MARGATEorcMAULER]

Oh boy,oh boy,oh boy!!

[@susansaoirse2797]

Right? There aren't a lot of things that make me turn on notifications, but this on a Sunday evening? That's right on time.

[@ChrisandDrake5]

I’m so glad to see this, I’ve been researching This for YEARS and it’s awesome!!! look more into Thule culture next time

[@rhettoracle9679]

Excellent research and presentation! Appreciate the effort and achievement. Cheers

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@leesenger3094]

Been waiting with anticipation for weeks and weeks

[@skateboardist1686]

This is my favorite channel I think

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@royroberts8004]

Icy sea sounded like ICC, the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, lol.

[@VonLodsch]

I recently discovered your channel and I applaud your work - great perspective on pre- and historic american cultures. The only issue I have is that I have already watched pretty much all of what you made - anxiously waiting for more! Regarding the possible contact of Dorset people and europeans, there has been more material of european provenance found that suggests some sort of contact occured - that includes a crucible found at a Nanook site, with indication of it being used. Use would be less likely if it happened into the hands of locals without any knowledge about its function. Sutherland et al. 2015; Evidence of Early Metalworking in Arctic Canada is a nice summary on the metallurgy related findings in the region.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! I'll have to give that a read!

[@mackenlyparmelee5440]

I've been waiting for this moment

[@AncientAmericas]

This episode has been a long time coming.

[@Brandeena233]

This is great content. Very informative and nicely presented.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@Skeksis86nuuk]

Might be a year late but Soapstone can be found in Greenland aswell. Great video.

[@AncientAmericas]

Better late than never, dear viewer!

[@annoyed707]

Your video was just viewed from Nunavut.

[@knowannabee783]

Hopefully you will do a video of the martime archaic. I see others starting mention in your comments now. Love to get your reflections on Bruce Borque's " swordfish hunters " lecture, and all the new DNA research that's being blocked from being released. Thanks for instetesting subjects

[@ianbruce6515]

Another great documentary! Thank you! Good solid science, explained in a even handed manner.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you!

[@EresirThe1st]

To add to the Norse angle, the saga of Erik the Red describes a fight between Norsemen and 'Skraelingjar" i.e. natives. I believe Skraeling refers to leather, which might be a reference to crafts but it could be that they thought their skin looked like leather.

[@AncientAmericas]

Correct but the skraelings are too far south to be the Dorset. They were most likely beothuk.

[@benwilson6145]

@@AncientAmericas The Vikings landed in Labrador and Baffin Island, staying further north than that would be tough

[@flyingeagle3898]

@@AncientAmericas wasn't Skraeling just a catch-all term? My understanding is that Norse Greenlanders referred to The Dorset/Inuit as skraelings. But they may not have had a distinction between those groups and natives they ran into further south. Atun-Shei Films 2nd Video on "leaf Erikson day" goes into this in some depth

[@AncientAmericas]

@@flyingeagle3898 I'm not positive honestly. If it's a catch all term than sure but I don't know.

[@RM-nk9mu]

@@AncientAmericas it is a catch all term for all of them

[@juniper4009]

In Fluer de Lys, Newfoundland there is an amazing Dorset soap stone quarry site where they carved tools directly out of the exposed rock wall. it was unreal to see in person but photos online are still fascinating

[@slotho122]

I wish he did a video on the Tainos and Siboney and their ball game traditions.

[@georgepretnick4460]

The first immigrants from Siberian had no notion they had crossed to a new continent. To them it was just another place to pursue food. Arctic Siberia and Alaska was and remains, almost indistinguishable environments. Whales, seals, quadrupeds, fish and birds. There seemed to be more food to the east. That's all the motivation needed to explain immigration.

[@AncientAmericas]

My great-grandfather who emigrated to the States long ago was once asked by a relative back in his homeland how he could leave such a beautiful place and without missing a beat he replied, "Easy, I wanted to eat."

[@klyanadkmorr]

When I read about early peoples from 15.000bc to later in waves traveling from Siberia to N. Am. They always seem called Berengians as while the ocean was lower some actually lived along the available land between Siberia and Alaska along the strait. Also there's belief some Pacific Islanders sailed as far north along the coast to Seattle Vancouver region and west coast of S.America making early settlements and merging into earlier migration Nat. Americans. I think on Voices of the Past channel they read a transcribed story by the Inuit or further inland Indigenous of eastN.Canada of meeting interacting with the first only Norse Vikings trying to settle trade but conflict happened and the Vikings left couldn't self sufficient survive.

[@klyanadkmorr]

Also with ALL of humanity til last 2 centuries of easy meet greet travel and moving most humanity was born of inbreeding at best more than 3-4 generations but small traveling isolated tribal 'families' serious. Just like animal packs and herds the young males had to find new women resources and women more men than relatives nearby.

[@Nas-100]

Whenever I see your uploads I pause whatever I'm doing for 20-40 mins

[@AncientAmericas]

Color me flattered.

[@NexVoidGaming]

Oh wow! I asked if you could do northern indigenous peoples like 6 months ago and you did! Thank you so much! Hello from Igloolik!

[@AncientAmericas]

To be honest, I got forced into this topic but I'm very thankful I did. I learned so much. Greetings from the states!

[@NexVoidGaming]

@@AncientAmericas just so you know I still greatly appreciate this video and have rewatched it at LEAST a half a dozen times as well as showing it to anyone up here that is willing to listen. Lol

[@daveharrison84]

Is it possible that they didn't know what a tree is and they thought wood only comes from the ocean?

[@littlesnowflakepunk855]

I doubt they would have no knowledge of what a tree was. They would retain oral histories from before they moved to the barren landscapes of the arctic circle, and likely occasionally traded with cultures further south and in what is now Alaska. That being said, there's not really a way to know, considering they didn't have a writing system.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Yes, it's possible.

[@AncientAmericas]

That is a good question. Never thought of that.

[@hedgehog3180]

Didn't they have trade links with areas where trees grew?

[@angelikaopland7880]

I've been told that "Eskimo" is a form of an old St. Lawrence/Great lakes native (Huron?) word for "fish-eater", referencing people who lived far to the North & meant to be derogatory. So no, Inuit & Inupiat people who know this background don't like it.

[@maciejpanasiewicz3947]

I just discovered your channel. And it's great! I have a video idea for you: Viking discovery of north america (winland) and how their relation looked like with the locals

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you. I do want to make an episode about the Vikings in north America at some point.

[@zipperpillow]

The Greenland Norse, and the Dorset cultures disappear at the same time. Coincidence? Or did a European ship travelling to Greenland bring a disease that wiped out the Dorset? and without the Dorset to trade with for walrus Ivory, the Greenlanders also perished?

[@AncientAmericas]

Maybe?

[@spacebunny4335]

This is going to be great.

[@libertyobw]

Thanks for making this video. This was really interesting. I like the Dorset now.

[@AncientAmericas]

You're welcome!

[@kryts27]

When an excursionists people leave a continent or island, then they typically come across a new continent (or island) with different animals and trees for example. This has happened repeatedly throughout history; the Malagasy of Madagascar (these people originated in SE Asia, not Africa as first thought through a Malay island hopping culture). The animals and trees of the Madagascar microcontinent are very different from anywhere else. The ancestors of the Australian Aborigines for a similar reason (and much earlier) than the Malagasy, and so on. This did not largely happen in the polar Borealis region (Siberia, Alaska, Hudson Bay, Arctic Islands and Greenland). This is because the flora and fauna of these regions were basically contiguous and much the same (caribou or raindeer, walrus, salmon, migrating polar whales, northern fur seal (Siberia and Eastern Alaska) ringed and harp seals, polar bear, musk ox and so on) were often distributed across these lands with only small regional variation. The polar lands technology and it's cultural use by these palaeo-Siberian people were adequate for the North American and Greenland polar wilderness as well, with only a few changes.

[@robgrabowski2572]

I've been slowly bingewatching all your videos, and they are absolutely fascinating, very informative and respectful. There's so much I didn't know about pre-Columbian history, thank you! I have a question, though, what is the music at the end of each video? Lovely bit of guitar playing, beautiful, atmospheric, and relaxing.

[@AncientAmericas]

Thank you! The song is called spruce and pine. The artist is listed in the bibliography and sources document in the description.

[@robgrabowski2572]

@@AncientAmericas Many thanks!