Utqiagvik

Utqiaġvik lies near the Arctic coast in the homeland of the Iñupiat. Nearby, at Piġniq, ancient dwelling mounds preserve a long sequence of settlement, from the Birnirk tradition to later Thule and early contact periods. The houses were partly dug into the ground and built with sod, driftwood and whale bone. The later Thule tradition placed greater emphasis on whaling, a practice central to the history of northern Alaska’s coastal communities. Seals, caribou and birds also supplied food and materials in this Arctic landscape.