Around 2000 BC the ancestors of the paleoeskimo people migrated from the west (Alaska or perhaps Siberia) and became the first people to occupy the northern parts of North America. Two branches of this first migration have been found in northern Canada, the Independence 1 culture of the High Arctic and the Pre Dorset culture of the Low Arctic.
Evidence of ASTt culture has been found on ancient beaches throughout the High Arctic. ASTt culture in the High Arctic, Independence 1, is distinguished by the use of small stone tools (microblades and burins) and distinctive box shaped hearths. Some tools resembling these have been found on Baffin Island but any other traces of their occupation has disappeared. The Independence 1 people left only a few reminders of their occupation.
Living in tents year round, in small groups of 1 or 2 families and spending only a few days at one site, their remains are usually a hearth and tent ring.
The tents were probably made of muskox hide supported by driftwood. There is no evidence of the use of igloos or heating lamps. The small amount of charcoal left in their hearths suggest that fires were used only for cooking food.
Later ASTt sites were centred around Foxe Basin, northern Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait. These people, the pre Dorset, were the ancestors of the Dorset people. The pre Dorset population was larger, their technology showed new adaptions and their camps were clustered together and appear to have been used seasonally over many years.
The pre Dorset used small stone lamps and evidence from some sites indicate that they may have developed the use of the snow house (iglu). The location of some of their camps and the number of sea mammal bones found, hint that the pre Dorset may have used boats. Harpoon styles changed to the toggling head type, similiar to the type used by modern Inuit. The fish weirs and caribou drive fences found at some camping areas may have been built by the pre Dorset Inuit.
The climate underwent a cooling period during the pre Dorset era and the Dorset culture that developed at this time may have been a more efficient response to the environment.
