An Analysis of Faunal Remains From A Denbigh Flint Complex Camp at Matcharak Lake, Alaska

Large mammal biomass predicts the changing distribution of hunter-gatherer settlements in mid-late Holocene Alaska

“…We assume the animals that occupy these ecological zones today also occupied them in the past. Zooarchaeological studies across Alaska offer broad support for this assumption (Casperson, 2012;Clark, 1998;Crockford and Frederick, 2007;Giddings, 1964;Larsen, 1968;Potter, 2008b;Schaaf, 2015;Shirar, 2009;Stanford, 1976;Stephenson et al, 2001;Tremayne, 2011;Yesner, 1989). We recognize that some areas experienced greater environmental instability, primarily due to volcanic activity (e.g., southwest Alaska), but the presence of sites in these areas throughout our study window suggests animal and human populations always recovered to reinhabit impacted areas relatively quickly, notwithstanding an apparent 500 year hiatus around beginning around 3400 cal BP (Dumond, 2004;Tremayne, 2015b;VanderHoek, 2009).…”

Using satellite image analysis for locating prehistoric archaeological sites in Alaska's Central Brooks Range

“…Migratory water fowl including swans, loons, and ducks have also been sighted in and around Lake Matcharak in the summer. Pike and lake trout have been sighted swimming along the shallows of the lake, and grayling and burbot have been identified in a local archaeological context (Tremayne, 2011). Located 275 km west of the nearest road system and within national parkland, access to Lake Matcharak is limited to float plane, non-motorized water craft, dogsled, and foot, making travel difficult and very expensive.…”

“…Excavations in 2008 and 2009 revealed an abundance of well-preserved faunal remains, stone tools, and debitage along with several worked bone and antler artifacts and a potential tent ring distributed over at least 450 m 2 . The stone tools and radiocarbon dates span from 4010 ± 40 to 3430 ± 40 14 C BP and are indicative of the Denbigh Flint Complex of the Arctic Small Tool tradition (Giddings, 1951(Giddings, , 1964Irving, 1964;Slaughter, 2005;Tremayne, 2011Tremayne, , 2015. The faunal assemblage at the Matcharak Lake site is dominated by caribou but also includes a range of large and small mammals, fish, and birds.…”

“…The faunal assemblage at the Matcharak Lake site is dominated by caribou but also includes a range of large and small mammals, fish, and birds. Seasonal availability of some of these species and the absence of semi-subterranean (winter) dwellings suggest a spring through the fall occupation (Tremayne, 2011). The stone tool assemblage suggests a tool kit designed to maximize utility and transportability while minimizing production time, features suggestive of high-residentiallymobile people (Tremayne, 2015).…”

“…Deliberate decisions about landform drainage, slope, local resources, and exposure to direct sunlight or prevailing winds would be important in selecting longterm or regularly re-used contexts such as camps or faunal processing areas. Faunal analysis from the Lake Matcharak Site assemblage indicates a long-term presence during the spring, summer, and fall, possibly exploiting the seasonal migrations of caribou and waterfowl (Tremayne, 2011). Artifacts recovered from the Matcharak Peninsula Site are currently awaiting analysis, yet the presence of multiple taxa from several individuals alongside preliminary evidence of retooling and marrow and bone grease extraction suggest more than an ephemeral, chance occupation of the site.…”