Whale Bone Alley, Archaeological site on Yttygran Island, Russia.
Whale Bone Alley is a roughly 550-meter coastal site on Yttygran Island featuring hundreds of whale bone structures arranged in organized rows. The arrangement includes jawbones, ribs, and vertebrae planted in the ground, supported by stones to create a defined corridor-like formation.
Soviet archaeologists discovered this site in 1976, revealing whale bone structures that date back to the 14th century. The site reflects a period when Yupik groups inhabited the Bering Sea region and relied on marine hunting.
This site served as a gathering place where different groups came together to process whales and hold communal ceremonies. The pits and structures show how people used this location over generations for shared work and resource distribution.
Visiting requires boat or aircraft transport to Yttygran Island, located about 24 kilometers northwest of Cape Chaplino in the Arctic region. Weather conditions in this remote polar area can change quickly, so preparation and proper gear are important.
Individual whale bones here can weigh up to 300 kilograms each and were braced with stones to ensure long-term stability. This substantial construction method suggests the structures were built to last for generations rather than serve a temporary purpose.
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