Speculating on reasons for a mass grave, a form of burial the Inuit normally used only because of some catastrophe, the researchers have reconstructed the possible events of the past. Analysis of the hair of the mummies revealed evidence of air pollution at levels similar to those of today. While the other, two and a half years old, had been born with Down's syndrome. The investigation has revealed that the younger child was buried alive at the age of only six months. While many puzzles have been answered, others remain unsolved.

They carried out their detective work with keen scholarly curiosity, combined with respect for these people of the past. A team of archaeologists, historians, and medical specialists used modern, innovative investigative techniques. How did they die? Why were they buried together? What had been the nature of their culture and beliefs? How had they survived in the harsh Arctic climate? To solve this icy mystery.

A combination of low ground temperature and dry air preserved their bodies and their clothing in excellent condition, making the Greenland mummies the oldest and most significant archaeological discovery in the Arctic. They had been buried in the traditional Inuit way, dressed in warm clothing and provided with the goods needed for their journey to the Land of the Dead. Two brothers on a hunting expedition in Greenland, 450 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, discovered the graves of six women and two children who had died more than 500 years ago. more Smithsonian Institution Press 1991) In 1972. DESCRIPTION: Hardback with Dust Jacket: 192 pages. The Greenland Mummies Edited by Jens Peder Hart Hansen.

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