51cg

The exhibition explores the relationship between Eskimo/Inuit peoples and the Arctic environment through the lens of material culture, with finds from the recent archaeological excavation displayed alongside objects from the 51cg Museums’ Arctic collections. The finds from Alaska appear with the permission of the owners, Qanirtuuq, Inc, of Quinhagak, Alaska.

‘Nunalleq’, meaning ‘the old village’ in Yup’ik, is a winter village site dating from 1350-1650AD. The permafrost has preserved tens of thousands of rarely seen artefacts from wood and other organic materials, and the collections ranks as one the largest and best-preserved ever recovered from the north. The research is a race against time as rising sea levels and melting permafrost are eroding the site at a catastrophic rate.