The Birnirk culture is a prehistoric Inuit civilization of the north coast of Alaska, dating from 500 AD to 900 AD and disappearing around 1000 AD. It succeeded the Punuk and Old Bering Sea/Okvik cultures and is distinguished from those cultures due to different art and harpoon styles. It preceded the Thule culture. During the Birnirk culture, sea mammals were hunted. "Open-water pursuit" (using kayaks) was used.
A burial mound of the Birnirk culture was discovered in the town of Wales; 16 more have been found in Barrow at the "Birnirk Site," which is now a National Historic Landmark. An ancient Birnirk village was at Ukpeagvik.
Famous quotes containing the word culture:
“The local is a shabby thing. There’s nothing worse than bringing us back down to our own little corner, our own territory, the radiant promiscuity of the face to face. A culture which has taken the risk of the universal, must perish by the universal.”
—Jean Baudrillard (b. 1929)