Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada
Arctic archaeologists have long suspected that the whalebones used to construct semi-subterranean winter houses by Thule culture peoples were symbolically resonant. These assumptions are based on observations of the non-utilitarian use of jaw bones and crania in Thule house ruins, and ethnographic d...
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doaj-f269c2bef7d64d489ec85a8943f8eb2d2020-11-25T00:57:36ZengUniversity of YorkInternet Archaeology1363-53872005-09-011810.11141/ia.18.1Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic CanadaPeter C. Dawson0Richard Levy1University of CalgaryUniversity of CalgaryArctic archaeologists have long suspected that the whalebones used to construct semi-subterranean winter houses by Thule culture peoples were symbolically resonant. These assumptions are based on observations of the non-utilitarian use of jaw bones and crania in Thule house ruins, and ethnographic descriptions of architectural symbolism relating to the whale hunt in Historic Alaskan Inupiat houses. In this paper, we use a 3-dimensional computer reconstruction of a semi-subterranean whalebone house to search for visual expressions of whaling-related ritual in Thule architecture. Results suggest that the whalebone superstructure may have been designed to evoke important themes when viewed from specific locations within the house, and under different lighting conditions. These themes, which appear in Inupiat myths and stories, involve the belief that women transform houses into living whales during the time of the hunt.http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue18/dawson_index.htmlwhaleThulearticprehistorysymbolismvirtual realityVRmodellingCanada |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Peter C. Dawson Richard Levy |
spellingShingle |
Peter C. Dawson Richard Levy Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada Internet Archaeology whale Thule artic prehistory symbolism virtual reality VR modelling Canada |
author_facet |
Peter C. Dawson Richard Levy |
author_sort |
Peter C. Dawson |
title |
Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada |
title_short |
Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada |
title_full |
Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada |
title_fullStr |
Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada |
title_full_unstemmed |
Using Computer Modelling and Virtual Reality to Explore the Ideological Dimensions of Thule Whalebone Architecture in Arctic Canada |
title_sort |
using computer modelling and virtual reality to explore the ideological dimensions of thule whalebone architecture in arctic canada |
publisher |
University of York |
series |
Internet Archaeology |
issn |
1363-5387 |
publishDate |
2005-09-01 |
description |
Arctic archaeologists have long suspected that the whalebones used to construct semi-subterranean winter houses by Thule culture peoples were symbolically resonant. These assumptions are based on observations of the non-utilitarian use of jaw bones and crania in Thule house ruins, and ethnographic descriptions of architectural symbolism relating to the whale hunt in Historic Alaskan Inupiat houses. In this paper, we use a 3-dimensional computer reconstruction of a semi-subterranean whalebone house to search for visual expressions of whaling-related ritual in Thule architecture. Results suggest that the whalebone superstructure may have been designed to evoke important themes when viewed from specific locations within the house, and under different lighting conditions. These themes, which appear in Inupiat myths and stories, involve the belief that women transform houses into living whales during the time of the hunt. |
topic |
whale Thule artic prehistory symbolism virtual reality VR modelling Canada |
url |
http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue18/dawson_index.html |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT petercdawson usingcomputermodellingandvirtualrealitytoexploretheideologicaldimensionsofthulewhalebonearchitectureinarcticcanada AT richardlevy usingcomputermodellingandvirtualrealitytoexploretheideologicaldimensionsofthulewhalebonearchitectureinarcticcanada |
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