Kodiak Dig Uncovers Traces

Entering the community archaeological dig this summer, Alutiiq Museum curator Patrick Saltonstall, hoping to find one of the oldest inhabited places in the Kodiak archipelago.

What Saltonstall and a team of volunteers discovered this year at the site near Rifle Range Creek Amak Salone, was something different but no less important to the understanding of the people living on the island of Kodiak for thousands of years.

Even if the sea is about one kilometer from the site today, 3000 years ago, Bay woman extended further inland. The site would have been forgotten in the beach area in the upper bay.

Saltonstall said, instead of a fishing or camping in the winter, waiting for the objects gathered there to propose a temporary hunting camp. The site offers a glimpse into the life of the prehistoric period Alutiiq people who are not well understood or documented.

"We found almost nothing but hunting tools - simply throw big," Saltonstall said "It seems that people went there with the finishing tools and some game .. They do not live there, really made it a very distinctive meeting place that says something. A very different from any of our other sites. "

Instead of flakes generated in the production of hunting gear contained only finished blades.

Thus, although not so many objects have been discovered this year than in previous excavations, the site has generated more than any other fighter Spears excavations Saltonstall has combined estimation.

But with the season of archaeology excavations and laboratory work in progress, are still some major questions about the site in mind stall Salto.

The archaeology excavation uncovered a large pile of rocks, and voluntary noted that a large amount of dirt was moved from one part of the site and stacked elsewhere. This poses a great job in a time before shoveling. The reason is not entirely clear.

Another mystery was close until the last day of excavation in the Community Archaeology team discovered the structure, which is responsible for, among other hunting grounds. Without the time to do a thorough excavation of the structure, buried him.

And there are signs that the camping associated with settlements for thousands of years before - but these characters have been obscured by subsequent management of the site.

In 3000 years, estimates of dropout Salto, the place was no longer in use. Geological traces indicate a tsunami 4000 years ago may have washed away the structures. After the fall of a large ash about 3800 years has contributed to the Bay of decline from its current location and the site Amaks no longer used in the same way.

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