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Volume CXXXII, Number 8 |
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Arctic excavations
MEREDITH HOAR
STAFF WRITER
Though the Arctic climate of Labrador in Canada is not a typical summer destination for many people, a number of members of the Bowdoin community chose just that locale to spend seven weeks last summer.
This past Wednesday, five veterans of summer research in the Arctic talked about their experiences and showed slides of site excavations and general landscapes in Labrador. Susan Kaplan, Director of Bowdoin's Peary-MacMillan Artic Museum and a Professor of Anthropology; Jim Woollett, the Archaeology lab manager; Julie Thompson '03; and Carly Knight '05 all spoke as a part of the Quinby House Discussion Series.
Though extensive Arctic fieldwork-especially for undergraduates-is quite a unique opportunity, this past summer's group (Thompson; Knight and Mary Melnik '04, currently studying abroad in Ireland) of students were not the first members of the Bowdoin community to make the trek to Labrador. In fact, as Professor Kaplan explained, "Bowdoin has a really long history of being involved in the Arctic." She noted that Bowdoin students have been traveling to Labrador since 1860.
The group that traveled to Labrador last summer began their journey in the settlement of Nain, which is a conglomeration of people from settlements farther north who were relocated by the Canadian government. In Nain, the group spent over a week gathering supplies and preparing for the field.
The excavation work itself was focused on Dog Island-not far from Nain-and Green Island, farther north in Labrador. A source of frustration in excavations on Dog Island was the wetness of the climate, requiring the group to bucket the area they were working on before continuing with the dig.
Most of the group's significant finds of the summer were on Dog Island, though, including a leather boot and a large leather piece.
On Green Island, the terrain was dry and sandy, and most finds here were slate rather than wood. Though the island was not home to many animals, the group did spot a number of caribou, which, according to Knight, "didn't know to be afraid of [humans]."
Audience members at the discussion seemed impressed by the work done in Labrador. The long-standing association between her college and Labrador particularly struck Robin Smith '05, who called the talk "an interesting and fascinating discussion on the connection between Bowdoin and Labrador."
On Wednesday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m., the Quinby House Discussion Series will continue with Karen Mills speaking on "Venture Capital: What is it Like to Grow Companies?" Mills will focusing on her work with Latina Magazine which she will Annie's Macaroni and Cheese, and will be providing product samples.