Archaeological Investigations on Kodiak Island

Archaeological Investigations on Kodiak IslandAuthor(s): William McHughSource: Arctic Anthropology, Vol. 1, No. 1 (1962), pp. 113-115Published by: University of Wisconsin PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40315552 .

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ALEUT-KONYAG PREHISTORY AND ECOLOGY: 1961 113

urchin tests and spines, are found intermixed. Markedly less sea urchin material has been found here than at the Chaluka Site.

The two samples with concentrated animal remains, dating of which awaits C14 analysis, have yielded animal remains similar in species composition to that represented through the site, but differing strongly one from the other in relative abundance of the several dominant component species. One sample is very largely composed of fish remains, with but a few individual bird and pinniped bones. A small number of mollusk shells and sea urchin tests are additionally present.

In the second lens sample, fish bones retain absolute numerical dominance, but the relative number of non-piscine specimens has risen very strongly. Mollusk remains (most snails and whelks) are common, as are bones of the Harbor Seal (Phoca) and several species of birds.

Comparison of these refuse pits, with much different relative composition thus suggests several possibilities. The dumps may have been es- tablished at quite different times, with either cultural differences or absolute availability deter- mining the discrepancies between the samples. Alternatively, the sites may represent slightly different usage- one where fish almost exclusively were prepared for preservation or consumption, the second a more widely used slaughter or dump area where any animal food items might have been prepared.

It is obvious that the predictable behavioral traits of prey animals act to determine the hunting, herding, and killing techniques evolved and utilized by resident and dependent human preda- tory populations. This behavior controls also, in

a basic manner, the type (as opposed to style) of accessory tools or equipment necessary for effi- cient utilization of the food resource. During the summer, in company of W. I. Welker, various as- pects of the behavior of the Harbor Seal, the Fur Seal, and Steller's Sea Lion were observed and recorded in motion pictures. It is most crucial to determine which of these patterns of behavior are fixed within the several species and which may be subject to rapid adaptation or alteration, since the fixity of such behavior will permit cultural perpetuation of precise and very specialized yet continuously effective hunting techniques within a human population. It is thus intended that formal ethnological study of these forms be continued, supplementing present knowledge of reproductive behavioral patterns and aggression.

Background Studies: Several extensive litera- ture researches have been made, resulting in ac- cumulation of natural historical background data pertaining to the sites under consideration. The first list which has reached the mimeographed stage is a listing of the plants of Kodiak Island, compiled from the several principal literary sources. The second is a field list of the plants of Umnak Island. Though not constituting formal publications, these collations will be sent to in- vestigators to whom they would be useful. It is hoped that such persons will participate in the correction and amplification of these lists.

University of Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin

ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON KODIAK ISLAND

WILLIAM McHUGH

During the summer of 1961, a joint party from the Departments of Anthropology and Zoology, University of Wisconsin, engaged in archaeological and ecological investigation of the southern coast of Kodiak Island and the northern and western coasts of adjacent Sitkalidak Island. The field party was headed by Dr. William S. Laughlin and Dr. William Reeder. The field expedition and subsequent laboratory analysis is being financed by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Invaluable assistance in the form of transporta-

tion, billeting, food, supplies, and packaging materials was provided by the Kadiak Fisheries, Inc., through the good offices of Mr. Don Mullis, the Superintendent of the Shearwater Cannery.

This report will summarize the archaeological activity which was conducted in the form of sur- veys of several areas and intensive excavation at one site. The first site surveyed is located just northwest of Ermine Point near Shearwater Bay, a small arm of Kiluda Bay. Two of the more plainly visible house pits were tested; one



1 14 ARC TIC ANTHROPOLOGY 1, 1

produced recent materials (a shoe sole and broken dishes) and the other produced nothing. Although a cannery employee has counted over 130 house pits at this site, an attempt to make a more accurate count and a map proved impossible because of the dense growth of vegetation.

Immediately to the west of Shearwater Bay is Dog Bay. Two occupational areas were surveyed here, each of which was located next to a salmon stream. Twenty-nine house pits were counted and sketch- mapped, but no testing was done here. Neither of the above two sites was noted by Hrdlicka in his survey of the area. More testing is recommended, especially of the Dog Bay site, as it seems to occupy a more favorable ecological area and may have a deep midden deposit.

A brief survey of several caves and the first Russian settlement in the Three Saints Bay area was accomplished by William Laughlin and Carter Denniston. None of the caves was found to contain cultural material. A surface collection and soil samples were obtained from the Russian settlement site. It is proposed that intensive excavations be undertaken at this site during the summer of 1962 with the continuation of our investigations in this area.

Natalia Bay, on the western side of Sitkalidak Island, was surveyed for sites by a three- man party. A small, though possibly deep midden was discovered adjacent to a small stream on the southeastern side of the bay about one-half mile from Sitkalidak Strait.

Rolling Bay is the southern- most bay on the west side of Sitkalidak Island. This was known to be the location of a large site and it was the focus of our activity during the summer. Dr. Laughlin had visited the site during the summer of 1960 and had recovered three skeletons (Paleo- Konyags) and several artifacts from the beach. These had been exposed by marine erosion of a midden. The obvious richness of the site and its imminent destruction by the sea made it a prime candidate for archaeological excavation.

A party of seven people arrived at Saataq, the Rolling Bay site, on July 5th. The participants were: W. S. Laughlin, William McHugh, Morgan Usadel, Carter Denniston, Eric Skeller, Henry Lundsgaarde, and Edward Beals. The first few days were occupied with setting up camp and when this was accomplished Laughlin, Denniston, Skeller and Lundsgaarde departed for other projects. Dr. Beals, a plant ecologist, remained to do a vegetation survey of the site and the sur- rounding area. He also returned later in the summer to make a survey of the flora and fauna

of the intertidal zone of the offshore reefs. Other members of the zoological party collected specimens of the bird and marine life of the area around Rolling Bay. This material will be utilized in a reconstruction of the economic base of the inhabitants of Saataq,

The archaeological crew varied from three to five persons and averaged out at four. The ex- cavators were: William McHugh, director; Morgan Usadel, assistant; Carter Denniston; Kenneth Taylor; and Donald Clark, President of the Kodiak and Aleutian Islands Historical So- ciety, IhCo

Saataq is an extensive site which occupies a narrow sand bar between the bay and a small pond as well as the adjacent slope forming the back of a point extending into the bay. Saataq' s largest dimensions are 375 meters in length and 125 meters in width. The site encompasses approximately 16,000 square meters.

Four areas of the site were tested and two were more intensively excavated. Of the latter, one, Area I, was the sea-eroded midden mentioned above and the other, Area H, was the elevated slope where there was a surface concentration of stone slabs and whale bone. Twelve burials (all tentatively Neo-Konyag), hundreds of artifacts, and a large quantity of highly fragmentary pottery came from Area I. In addition, thousands of fire- burned rocks, several stone slab "floors" and several slab "boxes" were found in this midden. Area II produced, in the uppermost level only, small trade beads which indicate occupation during historic times. The site's only positive struc- ture, a slab-lined fire-pit, was found during the excavation of the "P* trench in Area n. Both of these excavations produced fairly large amounts of animal and fish bones plus concentrations of crushed shell which were saved for identification, tabulation, and incorporation into the analysis. However, the two areas which were only tested (Areas III and IV) produced a far larger quantity of animal bones per unit- volume than did either Area I or E.

Of the 16,000 square meters of Saataq, 36 square meters were excavated to an average depth of three meters. Although this represents much less than 1% of the total area of the site, the rate of artifact recovery was quite high and is thought to be a good representation of the de- posits in the two areas intensively excavated. However, more excavation must be done over a wider area to make more certain no important components have been missed. More of the site must be excavated down to sterile sub- soil which



ALEUT-KONYAG PREHISTORY AND ECOLOGY: 1961 115

was done only in Area I last summer. With this in mind, it is contemplated that another party will return to Rolling Bay during the summer of 1962 to resume operations.

University of Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin

PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE DENTITION STUDY OF TWO ISOLATES OF KODIAK ISLAND

ALBERT A. DAHLBERG

Morphological and pathological studies were made of the dentitions of two isolates of Kodiak Island. Casts, observations and x-rays were made on approximately one hundred and forty of the individuals residing in Old Harbor and of fifty- three from Kaguyak. The following is a summary of the information and data derived from these studies.

Morphological

The morphological data obtained from study of the materials of the Kodiak Island isolates are of special interest when compared to that obtained in the 1946 expedition of the Peabody Museum and Harvard University to the Aleutian Islands. These materials were reported by Moorrees in his book The Aleut Dentition, Harvard University Press, 1957. Of special concern were certain genetic morphological characteristics and measurements as included below.

Neither the Old Harbor nor the Kaguyak populations followed very closely the frequencies of occurrence of the torus mandibularis patterns given by Moorrees for the Eastern and Western Aleuts. The two Kodiak populations studied have frequencies of expression close to each other and closer to the western than the eastern Aleut. In none of the Kaguyak and in only one of the Old Harbor group was there a very marked torus. The 11.8% reported for very marked tori in the male western Aleut represented two of the seven- teen individuals accounted. Kaguyak and Old Har- bor had 70 and 75.9% absence of the torus mandibularis and only between 3 and 5% for marked tori. The remainder 20 to 25% ranged in the trace to slight categories. In both populations the larger tori were found in the 20+ age group. Moorrees found only one marked one in the 10-19 year group. All the other marked ones were in older individuals.

Torus palatinus was not found in the Aleuts in Moorrees' 1948 study. The Old Harbor and Kaguyak groups were notably lacking in large exostoses, but three individuals had definitely formed small structures of this type in the mid- line along the median suture. 70% of the Kaguyak and 82% of those in Old Harbor were completely free of palatine tori. The significance of the 17 to 25% in the slight and trace categories is un- certain. In any case these exostoses are small or absent in all but two percent.

The shovel- shaped incisors of Kaguyak and Old Harbor followed rather closely the frequencies of the Aleuts previously reported. In only two Old Harborites was there absence of the trait, the marked expression was observed in less members (Old Harbor 19.0%, Kaguyak 55%) than was the less marked category of shovel shape (Old Harbor 61.9%, Kaguyak 30%). The same applied for the lateral incisors; Marked: Old Harbor 22%, Kaguyak 42.1% and Shovel-shaped: Old Harbor 57.7%, Kaguyak 47.3%.

Protostylids (on lower molars) were not found on Moorrees' sample of Aleuts. The Old Harbor group showed 13.2% of a trace to moderate expression on the first molars and the Kaguyak, 10%. (N., 38 and 10 respectively).

Upper premolar proportion to first molar size was greater in Old Harbor than for the Aleut with a ratio of 83 as compared to 80 for the latter.

Car abelli' s cusps were found in some degree of portrayal in first permanent molars in 58.3% of Old Harborites, 73.3% of Kaguyakans and in only 13% of Aleuts of Moorrees.

Metacones were well expressed and large in upper first molars in most of the Kodiak groups with an increase in reduced forms in the second molars.

The hypocone expression was approximately similar in the Kodiakans and Aleuts to the west.



Archaeological Investigations on Kodiak Island

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