Inuit animal use and shifting identities in 19th-century Labrador: the zooarchaeology of Snooks Cove

Brandy, Eliza McLaren (2013) Inuit animal use and shifting identities in 19th-century Labrador: the zooarchaeology of Snooks Cove. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The archaeological site of Snooks Cove (GaBp-7), situated in Hamilton Inlet along the central coast of Labrador, has been confirmed as a place where multiple Inuit families resided from the late 18th through 19th centuries. Analysis of the faunal remains recovered during excavation of two houses at this site provides a glimpse at how the Inuit inhabitants prioritized traditional animal use patterns, while still actively participating in new intercultural exchanges, such as the trapping and trading economy. This thesis can demonstrate the dynamic nature of cultural continuity and changing identities. At Snooks Cove this is seen most prominently when the results are compared to Inuit, British, and mixed ethnicity sites. This research further supports that zooarchaeology can contribute valuable insights into the varied Inuit responses to social and economic opportunities brought about by the increasingly permanent European presence in Labrador.

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