Prehistoric artifacts returned to Alaska

December 23rd 3:51 pm | Carey Restino

Thousands of prehistoric artifacts excavated from Point Barrow in the 1950s have been returned to Alaska, opening up countless research opportunities for those studying prehistoric Eskimo culture dating back to 500 A.D.

"The collection has tremendous research significance," said Jeff Rasic, acting curator of archaeology at the University of Alaska Museum of the North. "There are an almost unlimited number of research questions one could address with a collection like this — everything from changing subsistence practices, the nature of cultural relationships and interactions in the Bering Straight region and beyond, issues related to status and social organization, conflict and warfare, environmental change and more."

The 26,000-item collection of artifacts includes hunting tools, harpoon parts, snow goggles and knives as well as organic material such as wood, bone, antler and even plant fibers. It was collected by a group of Harvard graduate students headed by Wilbert Carter. The group completed three seasons of archaeological work with the support of the Arctic Research Laboratory, established in Barrow by the Office of Naval Research. Owned by the U.S. Navy, it has been housed for decades at the Harvard Peabody Museum.

The artifacts offer huge research potential in part because of the size of the collection.

"As interesting as any one item in this collection might be, each takes on greater importance within the context of this larger collection with so many examples of each artifact," Rasic said. "A harpoon head of a certain style can be compared to 30 others and the subtle variations among them appreciated."

While there are no immediate plans to display the items in the collection, it is certainly a collection worthy of an exhibition, said Rasic.

"We would be especially interested in collaborating with people in Barrow on a project like this since the collection originated there," Rasic said.

Rasic said a final report was never published on the collection, but a series of reports were written that are quite good, and the museum is considering bringing the existing reports together with new data and materials to produce a book.

For the time being, however, the museum is focused on unpacking, inventorying, and storing the collection, as well as digitizing the catalogue, which will preserve the collection and make it accessible to researchers and others interested in working with them.