Inuit Tactile Maps
was doing some worldbuilding for an arctic region of a DnD world and went down a very interesting research rabbithole about Inuit culture and just learned about tactile maps! they’re carved 3D maps for navigating around coastlines. They’re so cool and make so much sense as they’re easily portable, they can’t be damaged by water or snow and fit well with the strong oral historical tradition of Inuit groups. I wish I had learned more about traditional navigational techniques like these during my archaeology degree as I’m sure if we looked more closely at items classified as “jewellery” or “portable art” may actually be maps like these.
In conclusion native culture is fascinating and really cool and I personally think native groups should be conslted wherever possible during archaeological investigations because many techniques have been passed down for thousands of years and are thus still in use. Native people can therefore provide new (and in some cases more accurate) interpretations of ancient culture and artefacts!! :)
The two pictured below are parts of the Ammassalik coast of Greenland made by a member of the Tunumiit people and sold to explorer Gustav Holm in 1885 (link to where I found the image).
