Matilda Siebrecht

This PhD projects aims to study a range of material culture assemblages from the Dorset Culture (800BC-1300AD) in Arctic Canada, employing experimental archaeology and microwear analysis. Through analysing the microwear traces on organic tools such as needles, harpoons, and barbed points made from bone, antler, and ivory, it is possible to identify patterns of manufacture and use both within and between Dorset groups. This can then provide a better understanding of how diversity in the practice of crafting traditions was linked to social learning, concepts of childhood, negotiation of identities, perceptions of value, and wider interaction networks. The project will also engage with local indigenous communities in north-eastern Canada to share the results and explore factors that influence tool design and technological practice in northern landscapes.

Matilda Siebrecht