"The mysterious stone figures known as inuksuit can be found throughout the circumpolar world. Built from whatever stones are at hand, each one is unique. Inuksuit are among the oldest and most important objects placed by humans upon the vast Arctic landscape and have become a familiar symbol of the Inuit and of their homeland." "Inuksuit are a nuanced, complex and vital form of communication. Some are navigational or directional aids, offer hunting information, or indicate caches of food or supplies. Some are practical "helpers" that once assisted in hunting caribou or luring geese. Other stone structures that look very much like inuksuit were objects of veneration, indicating places of power or the abode of spirits."--Jacket.