Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park

About

Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park ("the land around the river of littles fishes," referring to the Arctic grayling that frequent the Meliadine River) is a park located 8–10 km (5.0–6.2 mi) northwest of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, Canada. The park lies in a valley that straddles the Meliadine River. Rankin Inlet's gravel road provides access to the park directly on the south side by foot or vehicle.

The park was previously referred to as Ijiraliq, a reference to both the river's cliff area and, in Inuit legend, ijirait, or "shadow people" (said to live a parallel existence with modern people, they can shift their shapes and vanish at will). The park's physical features include an esker covered by lichen-moss, glacial deposit, bedrock outcrop, and unusual plants, including three-awned grass, found nowhere else in Kivalliq Region. There are more than 45 archaeological sites within the park and these include house ruins, tent rings, graves, and other remains of the Thule.

Some of the ruins date back as far as the Pre-Dorset period from 1000 BC to 500 BC. The main archaeological feature is Qamaviniqtalik ("place with ancient sod houses"). Qamaviniqtalik was occupied from around 1200 to 1775...