Iqaluktuuq

Late Dorset - 800 AD to 1250 AD

When Thule Inuit first arrived at Iqaluktuuq, they probably met Late Dorset people, who Inuit call Tuniit. Tuniit were very different from Inuit, and shortly after the two societies met, Tuniit disappeared from the area. However, they left several large sites, including the largest summer gathering site in all of Nunavut. This site contains three “longhouses” built of boulders, as well as 17 hearth rows. Late Dorset houses were not as large as Thule, but were dug into the surrounding earth to add warmth. Dorset people are famous for their artwork, and several examples have been recovered from the Late Dorset period at Iqaluktuuq.

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