Whalers Didn’t Just Sing Sea Shanties and Seek Adventure. Proof of Laborers' Grueling Work Is in Their Skeletons, Buried in the Arctic
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A recent study reveals the harsh physical toll of whaling on laborers in the 17th and 18th centuries, as evidenced by their skeletal remains found in Svalbard. The research highlights issues such as degenerative joint disease and scurvy among these men, indicating the extreme conditions they endured. Additionally, climate change poses a significant threat to these archaeological sites, leading to erosion and degradation of cultural heritage.
- ▪Researchers studied the remains of 20 whalers buried on Svalbard, revealing evidence of degenerative joint disease and other health issues.
- ▪The study found signs of scurvy and rickets, indicating dietary deficiencies among the whalers.
- ▪Climate change is causing coastal erosion and permafrost degradation, threatening the integrity of archaeological sites like Likneset.
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Whalers Didn’t Just Sing Sea Shanties and Seek Adventure. Proof of Laborers’ Grueling Work Is in Their Skeletons, Buried in the Arctic Remains buried on Svalbard show the brutal toll whaling took on men in the 17th and 18th centuries. Climate change threatens these kinds of archaeological sites across the Arctic Sarah Kuta | Daily Correspondent May 21, 2026 5:36 p.m. ShareCopy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrintAdd as preferred source Researchers found evidence of degenerative joint disease, trauma and other health problems. Lise Loktu / NIKU Whaling took a brutal toll on laborers in the 17th and 18th centuries, reshaping their bodies so dramatically that the effects can still be seen in their skeletons today.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Smithsonian Magazine.
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