Comer's Midden

Comer’s Midden at Uummannaq, or Dundas, in northern Greenland became a foundational site for understanding Inuit prehistory because it gave its name to the Thule culture. First excavated in 1916 by whaling captain George Comer while his ship was ice-bound, it was later recognized as a substantial settlement rather than a single midden. The site includes about 26 house ruins, several middens, probable dwellings, and a men’s house, with evidence of habitation from the 14th to the 20th century. Its finds include characteristic Thule harpoon heads, along with Dorset-related artifacts and items of Norse origin, making it central to Arctic archaeology.