The Meta Incognita Project investigates Martin Frobisher's Arctic expeditions of 1576-78 (which included the first English attempt to establish a colony in Canada and to mine its mineral resources) and their effects on the culture of the Inuit he encountered. The project is also aimed at ensuring the long-term protection of the historic sites associated with these expeditions. This progress report -- published under the auspices of the Project Steering Committee -- focuses particularly, but not exclusively, on field investigations conducted in 1991 and on the analytical work supporting them. It comprises papers by Canadian and American archaeologists, anthropologists and geologists, as well as other scientists engaged in the project. Besides the preliminary findings from their work, the papers present an introduction to the historical context and to the problems and questions facing researchers.

This publication is a joint project of the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Arctic Studies Center, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.