SGER: Emergency Analysis and Conservation of Early Holocene Organic Tools from Central Alaska

University Of Alaska Fairbanks Campus, Fairbanks AK

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This project consists of emergency conservation and analysis of several Early Holocene organic tools from the Gerstle River site, in central Alaska. Excavation in 2008 recovered three organic points in well-stratified contexts, with what appear to be slots for microblade insets. These finds are directly associated with Component 3 at the site, dating to ~10,100 cal BP. The points are worked: some exhibit hafting elements and may also contain embedded lithics (some silt has yet to be removed). The organic artifacts are have been recovered from intermittently frozen soils and are drying out, necessitating immediate stabilization efforts as well as long-term conservation. The remains are currently stable, provided they do not undergo handling, which limits analyses that can be performed. Once conserved, they will undergo X-ray analysis to help describe the morphology and to identify any small lithics that might remain embedded in the slots. Residue-analysis, lithic analysis, and technological (manufacturing techniques) analyses will be performed once the artifacts are conserved.