Archaeologists have uncovered evidence for repeated prehistoric occupation in the remote island cluster of Kitsissut, north of Greenland, indicating the first people in the High Arctic were skilled seafarers who had a profound impact on early Arctic environments.
4,500 years ago, the first humans arrived in the High Arctic of Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) shortly after glacial retreat. Whilst their ability to adapt and thrive in the region’s changing conditions is clear, poor archaeological preservation means the extent to which people themselves influenced its developing ecology was unknown.
“While rare fragments confirmed they possessed watercraft, the full extent of their reach across different ecological systems—and particularly their ability to use these boats to interact with marine species—remained unclear”, says lead author of the research, Dr Matthew Walls from the University of Calgary.
To explore the extent to which humans influenced early Arctic ecosystems, researchers from the University of Calgary and Ilisimatusarfik/University of Greenland performed an archaeological survey at the island cluster of Kitsissut, north of Greenland.
There, they documented nearly 300 archaeological features, including Early Paleo-Inuit tent rings and hearths, proving that people were visiting these islands repeatedly as far back as 4,500 years ago.
Importantly, Kitsissut sits in the heart of Pikialasorsuaq, which is a unique polynya environment stretching between northern Greenland and Canada. Polynyas are areas of Arctic ocean that never freeze, even in winter, so reaching these islands requires a dangerous 50km open-water crossing—the longest such journey by watercraft yet inferred for this period in the entire Arctic.
“That’s an extraordinary voyage in small skin-on-frame watercraft. It would have required facing erratic weather, strong crosswinds, powerful currents, and very high risk of being swept into the expanse of Baffin Bay”, Walls explains. “The fact that these early communities made this journey regularly—transporting families and supplies to access seasonal resources like seabird colonies at the islands—demonstrates a level of maritime skill that reshapes our understanding of this period.”
This proves that Paleo-Inuit communities were not limited to land-based or near-shore activities, indicating they bridged terrestrial and marine ecosystems at a very early stage of ecological development following glacial retreat.
“Our findings enhance the Indigenous story of High Arctic environments”, adds Walls. “Reaching Kitsissut required skills that would have been a defining part of social life, passed down and refined as each generation re-learned by going out into the sea to travel and hunt.”
Early Paleo-Inuit peoples were clearly deeply entangled with the ecology of Pikialasorsuaq and could access marine mammals and seabirds far into its open waters. Their involvement in these ecosystems from the beginning shaped the way Inuit lands developed into the present day.
"By hunting, harvesting, and moving marine nutrients onto the land, these first navigators likely acted as 'ecological engineers' alongside species like seabirds”, Walls concludes. “This reveals a deep, ancient entanglement with Arctic ecosystems, showing us that these environments have always been defined by Indigenous presence and stewardship.”