The original work, in Russian, appeared in 1947 and is still regarded as an important contribution to knowledge of the early history of the Eskimo. This translation makes available in English the results of archaeological research in a significant area, the extreme northeast of continental Asia, and the data reported are a valuable addition to previous information on the ethnology, linguistics and physical anthropology of the peoples of the Arctic. In particular this book reports investigations made by the author on the coast of the Chukchi Peninsula from the village of Uwelen in the north to the village of Sirhenik in the south. This is volume I in a series Anthropology of the North: Translations from Russian Sources being sponsored by the Arctic Institute of North America.

Corrects misconceptions about Eskimo life, analyzes early accounts by European explorers, and evaluates the impact these explorers had on Eskimo culture