The Boot
Many people have lived over time on Banks Island in the Northwest Territories, using local resources to produce objects for everyday use and survival. This sealskin boot, or kamik, was made about 2,500 years ago, and is one of the oldest examples of footwear from the Canadian Arctic. Along with clothing-related tools, it was found in frozen ground, called permafrost, at the Lagoon site on the south coast of Banks Island, near the mouth of the Masik River.
About 17cm long, the small size of this boot suggests that it was made for a child. The haired side of the skin on the inside of the boot would have kept a small foot warm. On the outside, the sole is sewn to the upper part of the boot with a running stitch of sealskin. The inside seam has overcast sinew stitching. This stitching technique waterproofed the boot.