Documenting an isolated and high-priority Arctic cultural heritage site: case study from Kapp Pettersen, Svenskøya, Svalbard

Abstract

With a warming climate, changing weather patterns and increased erosion from various permafrost- and marine-related processes, the cultural heritage (CH) sites in Svalbard are increasingly vulnerable to destruction. Documentation of CH sites in the Arctic can be very difficult on account of the harsh environment, remoteness (and associated costs), limited access time windows and—in Svalbard—the need to obtain permits from local authorities. The main objectives of this study are: (1) to document an isolated and prioritized CH site in Svalbard—the hut at Kapp Pettersen, Svenskøya—using an uncrewed aerial vehicle and ground photography; (2) to identify the effects of coastal erosion and permafrost-related processes on the cabin; and (3) to gain a better understanding of the landscape surrounding the site. We found that the shoreline had retreated, on average, by 0.42 m/yr between 2010 and 2024. This is significantly more than has been documented at other CH sites in Svalbard. The limited number of photographs of the hut meant that a three-dimensional representation could not be made. However, a detailed auditory description of the hut was made during the visit. This study highlights the challenges and limitations of Arctic CH documentation.