Archeology
NPS photo
Archeology | History | Museum Collections | Subsistence Archeologists for Gates of the Arctic conduct field surveys and excavations as well as in-depth analytical research to investigate the lives of the people who have called these lands home for more than 13,000 years. Below are descriptions of recent research and some of the archeological highlights known from the park.
NPS/C. Ciancibelli
NPS Obsidian is volcanic glass used throughout prehistory to fashion tools. It also has special properties that make it useful for reconstructing prehistoric travel and trade. Obsidian artifacts are commonly found in Gates of the Arctic since the major source in Alaska lies not far outside the park. Find out what Park archeologists have learned by studying these artifacts. Read More... 
NPS/J. Rasic Caribou Hunter's Landscape at Agiak Lake People have hunted caribou in the Brooks Range for thousands of years. One strategy characteristic of the region was to steer the animals into lakes where they were hunted from kayaks. Exceptionally well preserved evidence of this system in the form of stone hunting blinds and hundreds of rock cairns (inuksuit) can be found at Agiak Lake. Read more... Eskimo Hunting Bow 2010 (pdf) Archiving Archaeological Records 2008 Northern Archaic Weapon Systems 2008 (pdf) Tent Ring Archaeology 2007 (pdf) Excavations at the Hungry Fox 2006 (pdf) |
Did You Know?
Iñuksuit ("stone people") were used to drive caribou by Nunamiut Eskimos, and are found along caribou migratory routes in Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve. More...