Eskimo+Family

Eskimo Family **By Charlotte and Caitlin **



The Discovery of the Eskimo Family

Also known as the frozen family, the Eskimo Family consisted of five members including two women, a teenage boy and two girls. The bodies were found in the year 1982 in Barrow, Alaska, when treasure hunters from the area dug into the ice and found more than they had bargained for. The period when the family is thought to have died is some time between1500 AD and 1850 AD. The area where the bodies were discovered is known as the Utqiagvik site, Barrow, Alaska.

Condition of the Bodies

The preservation of the Eskimo family was an accidental process. This is because their deaths are believed to be due to an arctic storm which caused ice chunks to bury their house killing the family instantly. Out of the five bodies that were found only two still had soft tissue remaining, the other three had not been accidentally preserved in the same way and were skeletons. The two bodies still considerably intact were the bodies of the older victims, namely the two women.

Archaeology and Science

There are conflicting opinions and some debate between archaeologists concerning the age and sex of the five bodies, as shown in this table:

** Table 1. Sex and age information for the five individuals from Utqiagvik, ** ** as presented in some of the Symposium papers. Listed by first authors. ** ** (F=female; M=male) **


 * =  ||= ====Newell ==== ||= ====Zimmerman ==== ||= ====Scott ==== || ====Masters ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Thompson ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Toribara ==== ||
 * = ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Southern Body ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F 42 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F mid 40's ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F Adult ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">41 +/- 4 ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">42 +/- 6 ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">50 ==== ||
 * = ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Northern Body ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F 27-24 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F 24-31 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F Adult ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">27 +/- 2 ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">24 +/- 6 ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">25 ==== ||
 * = ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Skeleton 1 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">M 20 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F 20 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F (probable) 14- 16 ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">20 +/- 1 ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">- ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">- ==== ||
 * = ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Skeleton 2 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F 15 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">M 13 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F (probable) 16-18 ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">13 +/- 1 ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">- ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">- ==== ||
 * = ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Skeleton 3 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F 8.5 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">F 8.5 ==== ||= ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Sex? 6-8 ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">- ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">- ==== || ====<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">- ==== ||

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">The state of the teeth gives an indication of the age of the skeletons. For example the slight dentine exposure on some of the molars, and the discovery of wear on the enamel on other molars of both the girls helped to indicate their age. Similarly the set of teeth found with the third skeleton, which was in excellent condition, helped identify this skeleton's age between six and ten years. Another method of determining the age of the skeletons was the use of skull measurements. The size of the cranium gives some indication of whether the process of cranial growth has been completed.

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">It was possible for autopsies to be carried out on the two bodies which were well preserved. These autopsies revealed a wealth of information regarding the two women, who died of crushing chest injuries. The autopsy on the older woman revealed that she had probably suffered from pneumonia in an earlier stage of her life, that she had also had an infection of the heart, and in addition, that she suffered from a degree of osteoporosis and pulmonary anthracosis. The autopsy also showed signs of a recent pregnancy, which is supported by evidence that she was lactating at the time of her death. The younger woman was a relatively healthy adult of approximately twenty five years of age. She also had some osteoporosis and pulmonary anthracosis.



<span style="background-color: #a7a9cd; color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: center; vertical-align: super;">Lifestyles and Times

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 140%; vertical-align: super;">Little information was discovered about the Eskimo family's culture. However the finding of trichinosis infection in both women's bodies suggested the presence of polar bear meat in their diet. <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 140%; vertical-align: super;">The anthracosis in both women's lungs is said to have been caused by the smoke produced by the seal oil lamps used to light and heat their house. As the women were responsible for maintaining the lamp flame throughout the night they slept next to the lamp, and so were exposed to the soot created by the burning oil.

<span style="background-color: #a7a9cd; color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: center; vertical-align: super;">Cause of Death

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 140%; vertical-align: super;">The cause of death of the two women, is revealed both by the archeological and anatomical evidence. Both women exhibited fatal crushing chest injuries with multiple rib fractures and fluid accumulation in the chest cavities (probably from bleeding caused by the injuries). It is likely that they died quickly.

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 140%; vertical-align: super;">It is believed that the crushing of the family's igloo is likely to have been caused by the phenomenon of Ivu, where huge volumes of broken sea ice are forcefully pushed inland. The fact that the bodies had empty stomachs and full bladders suggests that the accident occurred early in the morning, trapping and killing the sleeping Eskimo family instantly.

<span style="background-color: #a7a9cd; color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: center; vertical-align: super;">Recommended Sources

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">1. Cranial and Dental Observations on the Utqiagvik Skeletons from Mound 44 <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">Author(s): G. Richard Scott, Debra L. Palmer, Thomas E. GillispieSource: Arctic Anthropology, Vol. 21, No. 1, The Frozen Family from the Utqiagvik Site,Barrow, Alaska: Papers from a Symposium (1984), pp. 65-76Published by: University of Wisconsin PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40316056

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center; vertical-align: super;">2. The Frozen Family of Utqiagvik: The Autopsy Findings <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center; vertical-align: super;">Author(s): Michael R. Zimmerman and Arthur C. AufderheideSource: Arctic Anthropology, Vol. 21, No. 1, The Frozen Family from the Utqiagvik Site,Barrow, Alaska: Papers from a Symposium (1984), pp. 53-64Published by: University of Wisconsin PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40316055 <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center; vertical-align: super;">3. http://arctic.synergiesprairies.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/view/2412/2389 <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center; vertical-align: super;">

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">Table 1. Sex and age information for the five individuals from Utqiagvik, as <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">presented in some of the Symposium papers. Listed by first authors. <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">(F=female; M=male) <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">Newell Z- Scan Masters Thompson Toribara <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">suuthembody F42 Fmid-40’s Fadult 41f4 42f6 50 <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">nortkmbody F24-21 F24-31 Fadult 21f2 24f6 25 <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">skeleton 1 M2O FZO F @robable) 20fl - <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">skeleton2 F 15 M 13 F @nubable) 13fl - <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">skeleton 3 F 8.5 F 8.5 =X? 6-8 - <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">14-16 <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">- <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">16-18 <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">- <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 570px; width: 1px;">- <span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 1684px; width: 1px;">