What archaeological discoveries were made at Qilakitsoq?

The site yielded well-preserved Thule culture Inuit mummies that provide insight into historical Arctic life.

Which historical cultures inhabited the site?

Saqqaq culture groups settled the area, followed by later migration waves and Thule culture hunter-gatherers.

How did Thule culture residents live throughout the seasons?

Communities occupied sod houses during colder periods and relocated to tents along the fjords for warm-season hunting expeditions.

What food resources supported the settlement?

Local subsistence relied on seals, whales, polar bears, reindeer, ptarmigans, and fish.

What caused the abandonment of the settlement?

The community abandoned the site following European arrival, driven in part by food competition from European seal netting.

Uummannaq · Greenland

Qilakitsoq: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Field researchers split their seasons between winter bases and summer tent camps across the fjords, following the seasonal migration paths of local game.

About the place

Now in the cityQilakitsoq0°CDrizzleupdated 12:24 PM

Exchange ratekr 6.66per 1 $DKK — the local currencyas of Nov 2, 2026

About the place

Archaeological discoveries at the settlement preserve an intact record of Arctic domestic life and hunting culture.

Paleo-Eskimo groups from the Saqqaq culture reached this fjord landscape after traveling across Ellesmere Island, followed by subsequent migrations arriving from Alaska through Canada. Thule communities later established a seasonal base on the shore, constructing sod winter homes and using skin tents during summer expeditions through adjacent waters.

Read on

Local subsistence relied on hunting seals, whales, polar bears, reindeer, and ptarmigan alongside coastal fishing. Danish colonial records noted the winter outpost under the name Killekitok after the establishment of nearby Omenak. European sealers eventually introduced large net systems that depleted maritime food stocks, contributing to the permanent abandonment of the site.

Associations

Thule mummiesNaturally preserved bodies reveal historical Arctic diets, clothing, and customs.
Saqqaq settlementEarly Paleo-Eskimo travelers established ancient coastal roots at the fjord.
European net huntingIntensive colonial sealing depleted local marine game and pressured native stocks.

Facts

Thule residents lived in sod houses during winter and moved into tents for summer hunting trips.
Danish colonists documented the settlement under the name Killekitok following the founding of Omenak.
Mummified remains discovered at the location provide archaeological evidence of regional Inuit life.
The local diet encompassed marine mammals, polar bears, reindeer, ptarmigan, and fish.

Updated September 21, 2026Source: Wikipedia