Last crosses of Spitsbergen

The eighteenth century is the period when the Pomor colonization ofSpitsbergen reached its peak. Most temporary camps and wooden crosses dated tothis period. The crosses performed various functions; however, most of them have notsurvived, though in the past these crosses were an integral feature of the Arctic landscape.Presently, two five-meter high Orthodox Church crosses, the last remaining crosses on thearchipelago, stand high in the northern part of the archipelago in the Murchison Bay fjordat 80° north latitude. The characteristics of the inscriptions allow the scholars to attributeat least one cross to the Old believers’ tradition. Written, figurative and archaeologicalsources provide ample evidence to conclude that Pomors who were Old rite believersplayed an important role in arranging temporary camps on Spitsbergen; they alwayserected crosses near such camps.