Zooarchaeological Evidence for Early Human Subsistence Patterns During the Precontact Occupation of Amalik Bay, Alaska

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Limited research has been done concerning the zooarchaeological evidence for specific subsistence patterns of Amalik Bay, Alaska. Excavation and survey of the Amalik Bay, Alaska, conducted in 2008, 2021, and 2022 recovered faunal remains associated with cultural materials from sites XMK-00020, XMK-00028, and XMK-00001 thought to have origins in the Takli Cottonwood phase (1800-1500 BP). Of note are multiple bone tools produced on antler. Remains were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible and taphonomic post-depositional modifications were recorded using the comparative zooarchaeological and paleoecological collection at the University of Tulsa. A selection of samples of these materials were taken for 14C dating, to be included in the results. Zooarchaeological results indicate that faunal materials consist of a range of species, both terrestrial and marine, in a variety of taphonomic degrees of preservation. Specifically, human utilization and consumption included a high percentage of medium size waterfowl (supported as integral by past research for 7500-4100 BP), caribou and seals. These results shed light on bone utilization and subsistence patterns within these Alaskan residential sites.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 40402.0