Diversity in Labrador Inuit sled dog diets

Insights from δ13C and δ15N analysis of dog bone and dentine collagen

Bibliographic Data

ID13096140
AuthorsAlison J T Harris (0000-0001-8017-7188, Studi, corresponding author), Deirdre A Elliott (0000-0002-1697-5975, Memorial University of Newfoundland), Eric Guiry (0000-0002-1467-1521, University of Leicester), Matthew Von Tersch (0000-0001-5112-030X, University of York), Lisa Rankin (Memorial University of Newfoundland), Peter Whitridge (0000-0003-2440-3691, Memorial University of Newfoundland), M M Alexander (0000-0001-8000-3639, University of York), Gunilla Eriksson (0000-0002-9926-6524, Stockholm University), Vaughan Grimes (0000-0002-2177-3147, Memorial University of Newfoundland)
Year2020
Volume32
Pages102424-102424
Publication date2020-06-20
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Archaeological Science Reports (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2352-409X • E-ISSN: 2352-4103
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102424
OpenAlexW3036520676
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited88

Sled dogs were an integral part of Labrador Inuit life from the initial expansion and settlement of northeastern Canada to the present day. Tasked with pulling sleds and assisting people with other subsistence activities in the winter, dogs required regular provisioning with protein and fat. In this paper, we conduct stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratio analysis of the skeletal remains of dogs (n = 35) and wild fauna (n = 68) from sites located on the north and south coasts of Labrador to characterize dog provisioning between the 15th to early 19th centuries. In addition, we analyse bone (n = 20) and dentine (n = 4) collagen from dogs from Double Mer Point, a communal house site in Hamilton Inlet to investigate how dog diets intersected with Inuit subsistence and trade activities at a local level. We find that dog diets were largely composed of marine mammal protein, but that dogs on the north coast consumed more caribou and fish relative to dogs from the central and south coast sites. The diets of dogs from Double Mer Point were the most heterogenous of any site, suggesting long-distance movement of people and/or animals along the coast

Animal science · Archaeology · Biology · Fauna · Geography · Mammal · Mustelidae · Raccoon Dogs · Stable isotope ratio · Subsistence agriculture · Zoology · δ13C · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Indigenous Studies and Ecology · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Ecology