RAPID: Stabilization, Curation, Digitization and Data Management of the Wales, Alaska, Archaeology Project (1996-2006) Collections

University Of Alaska Fairbanks Campus, Fairbanks AK

Investigators

Abstract

The site of Wales, Alaska, on the coast of Bering Strait, exists at a crossroads of continents and provides a rich sequence of human activity for over 1200 years. Wales was the site of ten years of recent archaeological investigations, which produced approximately 30,000 artifacts, faunal and floral remains, and sediment samples. Artifacts include chipped and ground stone; carved antler, bone, and ivory objects; wooden implements; and pottery, much of which was recovered in excellent condition due to preservation by permafrost. These materials record over a millennium of human adaptation to an Arctic maritime environment, including the development of Indigenous whaling—a process of critical importance to understanding the North American Arctic past. This project will stabilize, curate, and digitize materials and documents produced by the Wales archaeological excavations between 1996 and 2006. All specimens will be cataloged and rehoused in archival-quality acid-free bags and boxes, ensuring they will be safely stored and accessible to scientists and descendant Inupiaq communities. Organic artifacts, currently in danger of degradation and irrevocable loss, will be evaluated and conserved. Artifacts and raw materials will be identified in the Inupiaq language and the terms will be incorporated into the collections database so that both Western scientific and Alaska Native designations are available to users. Selected artifacts will be photographed and scanned in 3D to enhance use of the collections. The entire Wales database will be made publicly available via a searchable web-based project-specific interface. Upon completion of project activities, artifacts, plant and animal remains, sediment samples and excavation documentation will be accessible for study, education, and heritage activities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.