Volume 24-25, 1976-7 - The Arctic Circle - Home

37VOL. )Qff }IO . 2TIIE AROIIC CIRC{JIARthe Archaic ard brset settlenFnts at LrAnse aux I'Gadc'$/s were ctdeflyon the southern shore of Epaves Bay.the l,lorse settlerent is on the eastern shore of Epaves Bay, a l-ittleinland, on trnrr forter beach terraces wkr-ictr together alncst encircle apeat @. A snall- brook, Black Ducft Brook, runs along the southern ard$restern edges of the bog and issues into the bay.the ltrcrse rernains onsist of eiqht sod bu-ildings. A11 but one, a snithy,are on the terrace east of the bog. Ttrree are large d,reIlings, the restsna1l buildings whictr nay have been r,orkshops or had otler, special firnctions.Ihe northernnost de,el1ing is ttre largest. Terned House F bD/ the originalexcavators, it ontaj-ned six roqns arranged in ttDJee parallel rovs, witttttrree rocrns in tle centre rc'vJ. Ttre ccnrbined inner length of tlt-is centralrow was about eighteen netres.the souttrerrurcist bui-l-ding, Iiouse A' was even longer, with an ilterior lengthof rEarly 25 m. It is about 90 n frcrn House F, and contaj-ns four rocrns, allin orte rcr,v. Hor.rse D, wtrictr is situated bebaeen Houses F and A has aninterior length of about 9 m. It has t1,io rocns in a rovr and one rocm on itswestern side.A11 the buildings had sod wa.Lls ard roofs. Ho^rever, because of sod'spoor stmctural strength, heavy roofb were supported on the inside by oneor mcre rcnls of posts.the nraj-n purpose of the sod was to provide insuJ-ation, so the waLls werewide, rII) to 2 m in places, and for stability, ttrey r,ere wide at the base ttnnat the top. Tb reduce the arount of sod needed, rost wall-s had only aslel-l or facing of sod and a centre core of grravel. the gravel was goodinsulating nraterial; it was plentiful and easily procured. ltre graveJ- alsoprovided drairnge for run-off frcrn tlrc rofs, wtrictrr.ere not overhanging butset bacl