Cultural Resources Investigations of Yusdishlaq’, a Historic Dena’ina Village on Alaska’s Lower Susitna River

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This presentation discusses the history and identification of Yusdishlaq’, a nineteenth-century Dena’ina village on the lower Susitna River in southcentral Alaska, USA. According to ethnographic and historical accounts, Yusdishlaq’ was situated on an island near Susitna Station, a settlement on the historic Iditarod Trail. Yusdishlaq’ was reportedly the site of the first Russian Orthodox church in the Susitna basin in the 1860s or 1870s, and the birthplace of prominent Dena’ina elder, Shem Pete. A flood destroyed the village in 1898.

As part of the federal review process for a proposed road development, cultural resources investigations in 2021 relocated the site of Yusdishlaq’, including numerous historical artifacts and two possible features. In conjunction with other known sites in the area, these discoveries provide new insights into the historic landscape of the lower Susitna. As access to the site is currently very limited, it also raises questions about how the proposed road may increase public visitation and other potential effects to cultural resources.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

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Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37516.0