Abstract

The Frobisher Voyages (1576-1578) present one of the most interesting opportunities for integrated historical anthropological and archaeological studies in the Quincentennial era. While the history of this earliest English enterprise on the soil of the New World is well known, its archaeological and ethnographic aspects have received cursory treatment. This paper reviews the history of research, dwelling particularly upon recent interdisciplinary work on the Frobisher settlements and mines and archeometric studies of the early-dating Frobisher iron blooms. Results of recent surveys conducted in outer Frobisher Bay in 1990 are presented. Finally, a plan coordinated with the Canadian Steering Committee for Frobisher research is presented for forthcoming studies in history and oral history, historical archaeology, European-Inuit acculturation, and environmental research.