Punuk Culture (676–819 CE)

Large Villages, Whale Hunting, and the Maturation of the Thule Tradition

By the late 7th century CE, the Punuk culture emerged across the islands of the Bering Strait and the Chukchi Peninsula, representing a clear development out of earlier Old Bering Sea (OBS) and Okvik traditions. While these earlier phases were renowned for their artistry in ivory and compact, semi-subterranean settlements, the Punuk stage marked a decisive shift toward larger villages, intensified whale hunting, and new forms of social organization.

Archaeological evidence shows Punuk settlements clustering along the major Strait islands (St. Lawrence, Diomedes, Punuk group) and extending onto the Siberian and Alaskan coasts. Unlike the smaller OBS dwellings, Punuk houses were larger, square or rectangular subterranean structures, carefully engineered for insulation. Their walls and roofs were supported by massive whale jawbones, reinforced with driftwood, and covered with sod and skins. With only low entrances visible above ground, these houses retained warmth through long winters, reflecting architectural ingenuity in the unforgiving Arctic climate.

The artifact styles of the Punuk stage also distinguish it from earlier OBS forms. Harpoon heads and hunting implements became standardized in shape, reflecting a culture increasingly oriented toward whale hunting rather than smaller marine mammals. The artistry of ivory carving continued, but with a shift toward simpler, more functional motifs compared to the exuberant curvilinear designs of the OBS. This suggests that social emphasis was moving from symbolic display toward practical efficiency in large-scale hunts and cooperative subsistence.

Whale hunting became the hallmark of Punuk life. The remains of bowhead and gray whales in settlement middens attest to organized, communal hunts that required coordination, large boats, and substantial labor. This reliance on whales not only increased food security but also facilitated larger and denser settlements, as whale harvests could support bigger populations.

In cultural terms, the Punuk horizon signals the consolidation of the Thule trajectory in the Bering Strait. Communities were no longer small, mobile bands but village societies with durable architecture, cooperative whale hunts, and broader exchange networks stretching across the Strait. This stability allowed the Punuk tradition to flourish and paved the way for the full-fledged Thule migrations eastward into Arctic Canada and Greenland in the centuries to come.