Northern Latitudes
The long history of human occupation in the Circumpolar North represents one of the greatest examples of adaptation and resilience in human history. Unfortunately, anthropogenic climate change poses substantial challenges for maintaining the cultural traditions of communities living in northern latitudes and their archaeological heritage. I strive for my archaeological research to not only contribute a deep-time perspective on how northern communities managed environmental change, but also help to inform the growing crises of climate refugees and disaster displacement that impact this region.
The long history of human occupation in the Circumpolar North represents one of the greatest examples of adaptation and resilience in human history. Unfortunately, anthropogenic climate change poses substantial challenges for maintaining the cultural traditions of communities living in northern latitudes and their archaeological heritage. I strive for my archaeological research to not only contribute a deep-time perspective on how northern communities managed environmental change, but also help to inform the growing crises of climate refugees and disaster displacement that impact this region.
|
My interest in northern latitudes began with my dissertation research that explored how the sub-arctic, maritime environment of the Kuril Islands influenced how foraging communities mitigated unpredictable hazard events. The conceptual foundation of this research was the information networks model (Fitzhugh et al. 2011), which hypothesized that marginal communities living in more risk-prone settings would tend to invest social connections that extended beyond their local region. The greater investment in these social partnerships would provide greater access to resources as well as serve as a social safety net in times of crisis. Using pottery exchange as a proxy for network relationships, my results showed that populations inhabiting the more remote Kuril Islands did tend to have more and longer social connections that population living less remote regions.
This research suggests that social networks and mobility were key strategies to help past communities buffer unpredictable socio-ecological change. I believe these are important findings for current communities that face the growing threat of environmental-related displacement and highlight the need for urgent discussions surrounding the potential relocation of northern communities. |
A foggy field day in the Kurils
Matua Island
|
Publications
Fitzhugh, Ben, S. Colby Phillips and Erik Gjesfjeld.
2011 Modeling Hunter-Gatherer Information Networks: An Archaeological Case Study from the Kuril Islands. In Information and Its Role in Hunter-Gatherer Bands, edited by Robert Whallon, William A. Lovis and Robert K. Hitchcock, pp. 85-115. Ideas, Debates, and Perspectives 5, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press: Los Angeles.
Fitzhugh, Ben, S. Colby Phillips and Erik Gjesfjeld.
2011 Modeling Hunter-Gatherer Information Networks: An Archaeological Case Study from the Kuril Islands. In Information and Its Role in Hunter-Gatherer Bands, edited by Robert Whallon, William A. Lovis and Robert K. Hitchcock, pp. 85-115. Ideas, Debates, and Perspectives 5, Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press: Los Angeles.
