News – Whalers’ Remains Unearthed in Norway – Archaeology Magazine

Svalbard, Norway – The remains of 20 whalers have been found in a high Arctic graveyard damaged by rapid warming, by Lise Loktu of the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research and Elin Therese Brodholt of Oslo University Hospital. live science Report. The cemetery – known as Likneset, Norwegian for “corpse point” – is located on an island in the Svalbard archipelago between the North Pole and the northern coast of Norway. “Early modern Arctic whaling was one of Europe’s first large-scale extractive industries, and the labor was highly manual,” Loktu said. The condition of the skeletons reflects the heavy labor associated with steering boats, pulling live whales, hauling carcasses, processing blubber, and working on whaling ships, resulting in degenerative joint disease, injuries, and damage to the shoulders, upper chest, spine, hips, knees, and legs. “Many young adults already show advanced wear and tear and degeneration typically associated with much later stages of life,” Loktu said. The skeletons also showed signs of scurvy or vitamin C deficiency. “Scurvy not only affects the bones; it also compromises the immune system, increases susceptibility to infection, weakens wound healing, and contributes to overall physical decline,” Loktu said. Circular indentations in the men’s tooth enamel indicate that they smoked, which may also lead to vitamin C deficiency. Read the original scholarly article about this research one more. To read about the earliest known whalers, visit “Artifact: Ancient Brazilian Harpoon“