The settlement of Smeerenburg on Amsterdam Island in north-west Svalbard, originated with Dutch whalers in 1617: one of Europe's northernmost outposts. During the first intensive phase of the Spitsbergen whale fishery, Smeerenburg served as the centre of operations in the north. (The name Smeerenburg, in the Dutch language, literally means "blubber town"). The image at right shows the concretized remnants of whale oil that built up around the large (ca. 2-3m diameter) copper kettles in which th… (More on Smeerenburg)