A zooarchaeological analysis of far-north Goldrush-era sites

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Author
Jansen, Amelia M.
Chair
Cramb, Justin E.
Committee
Reuther, Joshua
Shirar, Scott
Keyword
Animal remains
Archaeology
History
Goldrush
Metadata
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URI
http://hdl.handle.net/11122/15972
Abstract
The current accumulation of archaeological investigations at far-north Alaskan Goldrush sites either completely lack or severely underrepresent the faunal components. These data are vital and add context to past and future archaeological investigations by enabling more accurate and inclusive interpretations of life in the mining-related settlements of the far north. This research is an analysis of previously unidentified and partially identified faunal assemblages from Goldrush- era archaeological sites in Interior Alaska including Coldfoot, Fairbanks, Tofty, Wiseman, Eagle, Uhler Creek, and Marion Creek. The data generated from the analysis of these diverse sites and site types helps determine how animals were being utilized by the residents of differing mining- related settlements and complements previous research completed on trade goods while informing upon imported (domestic) and localized (wild) resource use.
Description
Thesis (M.A.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2025
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction and project overview -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Historic sites in the Alaskan Interior -- 1.3 Alaskan Goldrush fauna -- 1.4 Research questions -- 1.5 Legacy collections -- 1.6 Potential contributions to existing literature -- 1.7 Theoretical background -- 1.7.1 World-Systems Theory -- 1.7.2 Central Place Theory. Chapter 2: Alaska Interior background -- 2.1 Natural environment -- 2.1.1 Physiography -- 2.1.2 Current climate -- 2.2 Ecology -- 2.2.1 Wild fauna -- 2.2.2 Domestic fauna -- 2.2.3 Native plants -- 2.3 Cultural environment -- 2.3.1 Eastern Beringian Tradition (14,500 BP to 12,500 BP) -- 2.3.2 Northern Paleoindian Tradition (11,800 BP to 10,000 BP) -- 2.3.3 American Paleoarctic Tradition (10,600 BP to 7,000 BP) -- 2.3.4 Northern Archaic Tradition (7,000 BP to 2,000 BP) -- 2.3.5 Dene-Athabascan Tradition (2,000 BP to present) -- 2.3.6 Russian context -- 2.3.7 American context -- 2.3.8 The Goldrush-era -- 2.3.9 Military context -- 2.4 Previous zooarchaeological research on Alaska Goldrush-era sites. Chapter 3: Post-contact site backgrounds -- 3.1 Central distribution site -- 3.1.1 Fairbanks, Alaska: Barnette Archaeological Project (49-FAI-00117) -- 3.1.1.1 Excavation and assemblage -- 3.1.1.2 Area A (California Saloon Refuse Deposit) -- 3.1.1.3 Areas B1 (Riverbank Refuse Dump) and B2 (Northern Commercial Company Dock) -- 3.1.1.4 Area C (California Saloon Block) -- 3.1.1.5 Area C1 -- 3.1.1.6 Area C2 -- 3.1.1.7 Area C3 -- 3.1.1.8 Area C4 -- 3.1.1.9 Areas E and F (Noyes Slough Crossing) -- 3.1.1.10 Area G (Samson Hardware and the Riverside Block) -- 3.2 Secondary distribution points -- 3.2.1 Coldfoot, Alaska: Coldfoot (49-WIS-00007) -- 3.2.2 Tofty, Alaska: Tofty (49-TAN-00009) -- 3.2.3 Eagle, Alaska: Eagle Bluff Trash Pit (49-EAG-00726) and Fort Egbert U.S. Military Sawmill (49-EAG-00334) -- 3.3 Cabins or extraction sites -- 3.3.1 Uhler Creek, Alaska: Uhler Creek Cabin (49-EAG-00468) -- 3.3.2 Marion Creek, Alaska: Marion Creek Mining Complex (49-WIS-00286) and Grassy Mound Cabin (49-CHN-00024). Chapter 4: Methods -- 4.1 Zooarchaeological analysis methods -- 4.1.1 Data recording -- 4.1.2 Artifact designations -- 4.1.3 Taxa, element, side -- 4.1.4 Size class -- 4.1.5 Fusion -- 4.1.6 Butchery -- 4.1.7 Heat modification -- 4.1.8 Measurements -- 4.1.9 Pathologies and non-anthropogenic damage -- 4.1.10 Weathering -- 4.1.11 NISP -- 4.1.12 MNI -- 4.1.13 Diversity and equitability. Chapter 5: Results -- 5.1 Central distribution site -- 5.1.1 Fairbanks -- 5.1.1 Area A (California Saloon Refuse Deposit) -- 5.1.1.2 Area B (Riverbanks Refuse Dump/Northern Commercial Company Dock) -- 5.1.1.3 Area C (California Saloon Block) -- 5.1.1.4 Area E (Noyes Slough Crossing) -- 5.1.1.5 Area G (Samson Hardware/Riverside Block) -- 5.1.1.6 Barnette Archaeological Site totals -- 5.2 Secondary distribution sites -- 5.2.1 Coldfoot -- 5.2.2 Tofty -- 5.2.3 Eagle -- 5.3 Cabin/extraction sites -- 5.3.1 Uhler Creek Cabin -- 5.3.2 Marion Creek. Chapter 6: Discussion and conclusions -- 6.1 Diversity and distribution of domestic faunal remains -- 6.2 Diversity and distribution of wild faunal remains -- 6.3 Ratio of pre-packaged foods to faunal remains -- 6.4 Conclusions.
Date
2025-05
Type
Thesis
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