Assessing the Vulnerability of an Inuit Archaeological Site in a Changing Periglacial Environment: A Novel Multimethod Geophysical Approach in Arctic Geoarchaeology

With northern regions warming at twice the global rate, assessing the state of archaeological sites in these areas is critically important. In this study, we used a multimethod geophysical approach (ERT, GPR, and EMI) to characterize the current geocryological conditions of an Inuit archaeological site on South Aulatsivik Island (Labrador, Canada). Analysis of the geophysical surveys revealed a thin (~1 m) discontinuous layer of residual permafrost on the tombolo. This study investigated the vulnerability of Inuit cultural heritage to climate warming while promoting the use of a rapid and noninvasive research method new to northern geoarchaeology.