Earlier this year I was reading in the library at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, a truly amazing facility, which would appeal to anybody with an interest in the Arctic. I came across a reference, which at the time, I had no idea in which direction it would send me.
I was interested in the literature regarding Saqqaq, a hunting settlement in northern Disko Bay. Saqqaq means “Sunny Side” although we when we arrived there this summer the weather could hardly be described as pleasant. That said the donuts from the Pilersuisoq store were excellent and really appreciated. A pity they didn’t do coffee as well.
We were in the area with two possible objectives, to paddle to Disko Island, we failed mainly due to a period of very poor visibility and to look for a 600 metre Caribou Fence, in an inlet, Saputit, to the east of Saqqaq, which we did find.
It had been possible to undertake some prior research but it involved a visit to the Royal Geographical Society in London, as their library had a copy the relevant journal. It is:
“On Eskimo Stone Rows in Greenland, formerly supposed to be of Norse Origin” by M. P. Porsild. In the Geographical Review 1920 10 (5) Pages 297-309
I haven’t found any more recent references.
I had a rough idea of where the fence should have been but as we arrived in poor visibility it wasn’t immediately obvious, a situation which changed the following morning when we woke to bright sunshine, good visibility and a clear picture of the rocky fence snaking across the glaciated landscape. Running from close to the seashore to the base of the bulk of Palungataq, a mountain rising steeply to 905 metres.
We walked across the foreshore with our view dominated by Ingigigsoq, at 950 metres, one of the most dramatic pyramidal peaks that any of us had ever seen although it is true to say that the geographers were the most excited members of the group. Amazingly as we meandered across the tundra, we came across the remains of a recently butchered caribou, indicating their presence in the locality. This was a really positive find, as the numbers of Caribou on the Nuussuaq Peninsula, declined dramatically in the 1950’s and 60’s. Hunting was banned for a number of years, although from 1981 the residents of Saqqaq were allocated a small quota of 4 animals, with the quota increased further in 1996. 10 tame Caribou transferred from Nuuk, in 1968, have boosted the numbers in the area with the herd increasing by 30-35% annually.
As far is known no people in Saqqaq or other settlements in the area have been able to explain the origins of the fence. In fact, they are generally unaware of its existence. In conversation with a tourist guide in Saqqaq, this summer, he had no knowledge of it. Oral traditions in Ilulissat, at the beginning of the 20th Century, indicated that their ancestors used to head north to hunt Caribou, in the Saputit area.
Reaching the fence it was clear that its construction would have been a significant community event. Winding its way across hundreds of metres across the Greenlandic landscape, this was a project that required hundreds of man hours. The average height is probably just under a metre, but could have been higher. In addition to the wall there were a number of small squares, which could have been hiding places or areas to sleep.
The suggestion is that the Caribou were driven down the two valleys at the head of the bay before being forced along the northern shore towards the Fence and the waiting hunters and their weapons. It is suggested that those animals which entered the water to avoid the wall would have fallen prey to the kayakers with their spears.
Porsild suggested in 1920 that due to the lichen growth the wall was several hundred years old and whatever he estimated an extra hundred years needs to be added for the present day.
If it is 300 years old then Louis XV was King of France.
If it is 400 years old then it is only a couple years after the pilgrims arrived in the New World on the Mayflower.
If it is 500 years old then Henry VIII is King of England .
There are only 4 known similar structures in Greenland, 2 in the south, 1 on the east coast and this one in northern Disko Bay and it feels such a privilege to have been able to explore it, whilst endeavouring to imagine the events which took place in this area hundreds of years ago. There is also harmony in that we arrived in human powered craft, which evolved in these waters.
A chance reference in a Cambridge Library resulted in a personal exploration of an archaeological site, which lies just above 70 degrees North. Enabling an intimacy with the human and physical landscape, which few people are fortunate to experience.