Underwater surveys off the coast of the Seward Peninsula have recovered a set of four whalebone ocarinas decorated with bornite—also known as peacock ore—studs. These musical instruments, dating to the middle of the first millennium BC, were discovered at a submerged seasonal camp. They are believed to be the primary ritual tools for the "Festival of the Arctic Current-Call," a winter celebration intended to summon the migratory currents that brought whales and seals to the region.
Acoustic tests performed on the bornite-studded instruments show they emit a unique resonant frequency designed to carry over the sound of breaking ice. The iridescent quality of the bornite studs likely represented the shimmering surface of the sea. This find provides the earliest physical evidence for specialized musical performance in prehistoric Arctic maritime festivals, linking modern indigenous traditions to a deep archaeological past.