Palaeoeskimo site burial by solifluction: Periglacial geoarchaeology of the tayara site (KbFk‐7), Qikirtaq Island, Nunavik (Canada)

Abstract

The geoarchaeological study of the Palaeoeskimo Tayara site on Qikirtaq Island (Nunavik) has led to a better understanding of archaeological site formation in the arctic periglacial environment. The surrounding geomorphology (extra-site) is characterized by fine-grained, low plastic and leached postglacial glaciomarine sediments that have been reworked by sheet-like solifluction. This process buried the northern part of the Tayara site with mean annual rates between 1.68 and 2.86 cm/yr over approximately 350 years (1330-980 yr B.P.). The physicochemical and mineralogical properties of the frost-susceptible glaciomarine sediments may explain their susceptibility to solifluction. This process was probably enhanced by longer thawing periods or warmer/moister summer months that induced active layer thickening or rapid soil thawing. The dates we obtained in the downstream valley show that solifluction occurred during short warm periods in the Late Holocene between ca. 1500 and 1000 yr B.P., after 1000 yr B.P. (or after 500 yr B.P.) and recently (90-60 yr B.P.). Our data provide insights on the site factors and climate factors that govern site burial by solifluction. Solifluction promoted the preservation of the three superposed archaeological levels in the Tayara site; however, the waterlogging of the site related to solifluction also likely caused the subsequent abandonment of the site by the Palaeoeskimo people.

The geoarchaeology and traditional knowledge of winter sod houses in eastern Hudson Bay, Canadian Low Arctic

“…The warming conditions were observed in Subarctic Quebec and the Arctic based on evidence of permafrost thawing, which provoked palsa degradation in the Subarctic (Laprise & Payette, 1987;Arlen-Pouliot & Bhiry, 2005;Bhiry & Robert, 2006;Bhiry, Payette, & Robert, 2007), ice edge degradation in the Arctic (Kasper & Allard, 2001), and an increase in solifluction processes (Todisco & Bhiry, 2008). These data coincide with the latest observations concerning current global warming, since several studies have demonstrated that the present warming is quicker and more intense in Arctic regions (ACIA, 2004;GIEC, 2007).…”

“…based on ice edge reactivation. Nevertheless, Todisco and Bhiry (2008) demonstrated that permafrost thawing occurred after 500 cal. yr B.P., which activated solifluction processes.…”

Late-Holocene palaeoecology of a polygonal peatland on the south shore of Hudson Strait, northern Québec, Canada

“…This suggests drier and colder conditions than previously (Figure 9). This interpretation is supported by the growth of ice wedges (Kasper and Allard, 2001) in the Foucault River Valley, as well as the cessation of solifluction processes on Qikirtaq Island (Todisco and Bhiry, 2008a) (Figure 9). Bartley and Matthews (1969), but they included this within a warm and humid period that began in 1600 cal.…”

“…Such clement conditions were also found by Saulnier-Talbot (2007) based on diatom and chironomid assemblages in lake sediments in the vicinity of Salluit. On Qikirtaq Island, which is about 25 km away from the study site at the mouth of Sugluk Fjord, warmer conditions also induced solifluction processes during this period (Todisco and Bhiry, 2008a).…”

Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction and Timeline of a Dorset-Thule Settlement at Quaqtaq (Nunavik, Canada)

“…1, part a); specifically, the climate was cold and dry between 1100 to 870 cal. yr B.P., as indicated by the disappearance of Sphagnum (Ouzilleau-Samson et al, 2010), by the growth of ice wedges (Kasper and Allard, 2001), and by the cessation of solifluction processes (Todisco and Bhiry, 2008). During this cold and mildly humid climate phase, the Dorset people occupied several sites in Diana Bay (Plumet, 1989(Plumet, , 1994, including site JfE1-10 (Avataq Cultural Institute, 2003;Lofthouse, 2003Lofthouse, , 2007.…”