Résumé (en anglais):

The past 25 years have seen more archaeological work in Arctic Canada than during the previous century, yet our basic understanding of prehistory has advanced only in restricted domains. The timing and character of the initial Palaeo-Eskimo occupation of the region, and of the subsequent Inuit occupation, remain poorly understood. However wide-ranging excavation has developed a more complete picture of regional Palaeo-Eskimo cultural development than that postulated by the simplistic 'core/fringe' hypotheses of the 1970s. Growing interests in the study of faunal assemblages, source analysis of lithic materials, and the understanding of art, are developing a more complete picture of the Palaeo-Eskimo world. Most Neo-Eskimo studies have focused on the understanding of early Inuit economic patterns, and the social implications of the early Thule Inuit whaling-based economy. This work has been characterized by a continuing debate on the relative importance of changing environments, or of particular sequences of historical events, in influencing the development of Inuit culture. Current interest centers on refining chronological controls, tracing material sources, and understanding relationships between the Palaeo-Eskimo, Norse and Inuit peoples.