DNA evidence of bowhead whale exploitation by Greenlandic Paleo-Inuit 4,000 years ago

Frederik Valeur Seersholm; Mikkel Winther Pedersen; Martin Jensen Søe; Hussein Shokry; Sarah Siu Tze Mak; Anthony Ruter; Maanasa Raghavan; William Fitzhugh; Kurt H. Kjær; Eske Willerslev; Morten Meldgaard; Christian M.O. Kapel; Anders Johannes Hansen

doi:10.1038/ncomms13389

Nature Communications (Nov 2016)

DNA evidence of bowhead whale exploitation by Greenlandic Paleo-Inuit 4,000 years ago

Frederik Valeur Seersholm,
Mikkel Winther Pedersen,
Martin Jensen Søe,
Hussein Shokry,
Sarah Siu Tze Mak,
Anthony Ruter,
Maanasa Raghavan,
William Fitzhugh,
Kurt H. Kjær,
Eske Willerslev,
Morten Meldgaard,
Christian M.O. Kapel,
Anders Johannes Hansen

Affiliations

Frederik Valeur Seersholm: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Mikkel Winther Pedersen: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Martin Jensen Søe: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Hussein Shokry: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Sarah Siu Tze Mak: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Anthony Ruter: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Maanasa Raghavan: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
William Fitzhugh: Smithsonian Institution
Kurt H. Kjær: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Eske Willerslev: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Morten Meldgaard: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Christian M.O. Kapel: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen
Anders Johannes Hansen: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13389
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Our current understanding of the demographic history of Greenland relies on preserved fossils. Here, the authors sequence ancient DNA from four midden deposits and find a prominent role for caribou, walrus and whale species in Paleo-Inuit cultures not evident from the fossil record.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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