Abstract

In 1968, seeking advice on a graduate paper featuring the Dorset-Thule transition, the author sent a copy to Bill Taylor for review and comment. In retrospect the response was predictable – vigorous, thoughtful, witty, and provocative – and set the tone for a stim-ulating personal relationship of twenty-five years standing. Taylor's comment concluded: 'I suggest you have the paper read by others, for it may contain an article well worth publishing – I am too predisposed to its basic thinking to be a good judge of that [but] ... most arctic types would probably recommend the deletion of most of the theoretical and methodological content.' Unfortunately, though I have shared the paper with a number of others, I never got around to taking up Taylor's challenge of publication. Today the Dorset-Thule transition remains one of the most puzzling subjects in Eastern Arctic prehistory, despite advances in many other areas. The problem remains resistant to study and has received few contributions in the literature. Since much of the substance from the original paper has never appeared elsewhere in print, it is high time to take up Taylor's challenge and present a publishable version accounting for Taylor's unique contributions, his critique of the original draft, contributions by other scholars, and new field data.