The Oldest Signs of Whale Hunters

Findings by Daniel Odess, curator of archaeology at the University of Alaska Museum in Fairbanks, suggest that whale hunting dates back at least 3,000 years. Odess’s team found a piece of walrus ivory inscribed with scenes of hunters in boats pursuing whales. Wood directly adjacent to the ivory was radiocarbon dated to arrive at the age. This predates previous evidence of whaling by 1,000 years.