Federal Archeology Report, Fall 1993

24 Pages·1993·2.2 MB·English

by  National Park Service

I 29.59/5: 6/3
Federal
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ClemsonUniversity ARCHEOLOGY PUBLIC DO JUMENr
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3 1604 019 773 961
Rrteport, NOV 80 1993
VOLUME6, NO. 3 FALL1993 *-' -:- ISSN1057-1582
"TheGoodGuysvs. the GoodGuys" Still, some conservationists, seeking
Archeology in the
often describes the plight of to shield our natural resourcesfrom
archeologists working in the wilder- Wilderness the human taint, see the remains of
nesstoday. Since 1964, when 90mil- humancultureasablightontheland-
lion acres ofwilderness came under scape. Compounding the issue is the
the protection of the Federal government, archeologists fact that the 1964 legislation that created the wilderness
havefrequentlyfoundthemselves on the outside looking in. system isopen to interpretation on thispoint. Butmanyare
While most subscribe to a conservation ethic, their liveli- now coming to realize that the human presence—from the
hoods generally depend on earth-disturbing projec—ts. So Native—American sacred site to the 19th century mining
sometimes archeologists and conservationists even camp has always beenpart ofthe wilderness experience.
though both arefighting to save the riches ofthe wilder- What's more, these sites offer invaluable opportunities to
ness—findthemselvesfighting each otherinstead. engage the public, without whose support the wilderness
program has nofuture. The challenge is to decide which
A lot ofthis comes down to misperceptions. Archeologists sites topreserve andwhich to letdecay into the landscape.
inthewildernessareskilledathidingthetouchofthetrowel.
As Herbert Maschnersays in his article, aftera year little Thechasmbetweenthesechampionsofthewildernessisnot
evidence remainedofhisdig in theAlaskan wilderness. thatwide. But there is roomfora win-win outcome.
Wilderness, Cultural Resources, The dictionary defines wilderness as "an uncultivated, un-
inhabited region" yet archeological evidence indicates that
and the Public Trust: fewifanyoftheworld's landsurfaces havenotseenhuman
Making Work habitation. Even in Antarctica human beings have affected
It
the natural community, prehistorically and historically.
Ruthann Knudson Fromthe gates ofthe Arctic, totheFrankChurch - Riverof
As No Return, totheShenandoah Valley, people haveusedthe
achild along the boundary waters ofMinnesota earth's natural resources for millennia.
and Ontario, I knew in my soul what it meant to be
listening to a loon across evening waters in a wil- The remains ofhuman habitation meritthe sameconsidera-
dernessthatknewnonationalborders. Inthosewild spaces, tion under the public trust as does non-humanly controlled
Istumbledonanoldrailroadtrackandcameuponalogcabin "nature." The public trust doctrine states that some things
melting into a meadow, and knew that I was connected to are so important to the health ofthe human community as a
peoplewhohadusedthetimber there. Yearslater,asIstood whole (water and air, for example) that they cannot be
in a two-room cabin along the wild Middle Fork Salmon consideredas individually ownedproperty. Rather, govern-
River, where acouplehad raised young, healthy children as ment must manage these things on behalf of the whole
a Depression raged outside their refuge, I sensed the sanc- community. Clearly, both "wild" and cultural resources are
tuary that shielded them. All these things are wilderness in subjectto the public trust underthis definition. In Congres-
the United States in the 1990s.
continuedonpage 4
U.S. Department of the Interior * National Park Service * Cultural Resources
Departmental Consulting Archeologist * Archeological Assistance
—
PAGE2 FEDERALARCHEOLOGYREPORT FALL1993
F R U
Caring for Archeological Sites in the Wilderness
Francis P. McManamon
DEPARTMENTALCONSULTINGARCHEOLOGIST
CHIEF,ARCHEOLOGICALASSISTANCE
NATIONALPARKSERVICE
On
the northern fringe of
Alaska's Brooks Range,
where thefoothills giveway
to the rolling tundra along the upper
reaches of the Colville River, is an
ancient site known as Mesa. The site
isdifferentfrommostinthisfarcorner
ofthe United States. It is different, in
fact,frommostsitesin wildernessset-
tings anywhere in the world. For that
reason Mesa has become the focus of
concerted attention by archeological
investigators and managersofFederal
lands.
Thesitewasfoundadecadeandahalf
ago during an archeological survey
done as part of planned oil explora-
tion. Over the past few years,
archeologistswith theBureauofLand
Management, which oversees the re- ArcheologistsatAlaska'sMesasite.
gion's land and resources, have re-
dated and reanalyzed material from
tshteonseitteo,olleaasdsinegmbtloaagerefarsosmesMsemesnat.haAs oBludredaauteasrcwhietohlognieswt.s cBoLulMd cisomtpoarbee phiiknegrsi,ntwohaontehaernbyinlaadkveerwtietnhtlaypda—irsttyurobf
been found to be very similarto well- commended forits diligence. what they find. The hikers not
ckAmoignvnaoegtwr.eneBdaPisanilntehoceionlmdoipwalenerxa4s8o,sfeesmaubscltheargansesWinydtoihs-e- d^^e^r^PTnelBsBpsestlrihttheehrsaoetuphagsarhtemmtiMelanelysisoonanfesetoidhsfopouurtsonhatueensrcdutwsaiilool.n-r keomlixnogaoghmwiticiannelegveRtntehhsearoteusmriaotcevepeseurnamPdrriteotirtfaeicctstthsei.noenAerdAcechdtaet-o
From my perspective, BLM's treat- or active preservation. Consider the How can public agencies responsible
ment ofthe site is a laudable example Kinyuksugvik site in the Nygu River forthecareofsuch sites prevent inad-
of archeological resource manage- valley, not far from Mesa. This site, vertentdamage? Wilderness areasare
ment. Mesa was discovered as partof probably dating from AD 800, in- so vast that patrolling them is not fea-
asurveydonetocomplywithenviron- cludes a number of semisubterranean sible. Thus it is essential that these
mental and historic preservation laws. houses that appear not to have been agencies put outthe message to travel
Following its discovery, the site was touchedsincetheywereabandonedby agents, guides, and others who plan
revisited periodically by BLM the original inhabitants. It is easy to expeditions into the wilderness. Hik-
archeologists to monitorits condition. walk among the gentle depressions ers, canoeists, and campers should, as
From thebeginning, artifactswerecu- made by the collapsed houses and a matter ofcourse, be given informa-
rated effectively, so that when they imaginethevillageasitoncewas. Itis tionaboutthesitestheymayencounter
were redated with a new technique, alsoeasytoimagineafloatplanedrop- and how to avoid damaging them.
FALL1993 FEDERALARCHEOLOGYREPORT PAGE3
WILDERNESS AND CULTURAL RESOURCES:
A NEW
BEGINNING
Loretta Neumann
FIVEYEARS ACQ W-ENKATHLEENSCHAVELANDI PRESENTEDAPAPER resource managers have most of the power, and cultural
onthesubjectataForestServicecolloquium,verylittle resources too often get less attention than they deserve.
hadbeen written aboutprotectingcultural resources in
the wilderness and interpreting them forthe general public. Thesituationisslowlychanging.AlloftheFederalagencies
Although somethingshavechanged since,muchremainsto report some improvements in agency attitudes andpolicies.
be done. The Bureau of Land Management has been a model by
providingguidance though its "Final Policy and Guidelines
Our basic message then and now is that cultural resources for Cultural Resource Management in Designated Wilder-
are an integral part ofwilderness and should be managed as ness Areas." Wes Henry, chief of ranger activities for the
such, notonlyasamatteroflawbutofcommonsense.They National Park Service, says his agency hopes to develop
provide wonderful opportunities toenhance ourexperience comprehensivewildernessmanagementguidelinesthatpro-
and knowledge of the wilderness. Old cabins tell us about vide for review of how well cultural resources are being
the rigors and dangers of frontier life. Cave dwellings and addressed. The Fish and Wildlife Service is updating how
remotearcheological sites showus whatprehistoric human- its refuge manual treats wilderness management. Kevin
ity endured, even as their wilderness settings make our Kilcullen, chiefarcheologist at theForest Service, says that
understanding more vivid and complete. anew manual at his agency will more fully address cultural
resources, maintenance of historic structures, and compli-
However, interestintheculturalresourcesofthewilderness ancewithhistoricpreservationandarcheologicallaws.John
generally remains the purview of a few cultural resource Twiss, who heads the Forest Service wilderness program,
professionals whofeel strongly aboutthe subject. Although sayshebelieveshisagencyischangingandthatlineofficers
interdisciplinary work has been stressed for decades, are being selected who have a greater appreciation for all
sparkedbytheNationalEnvironmentalPolicyActandother the resources ofour national forests.
statutes, the management of cultural and natural resources
isstilltoopolarized.Parksuperintendents,refugemanagers, THEISSUENOWISNOTWHETHERTOCONSIDERMANAGINGCULTURAL
and forest supervisors who manage vast natural areas are resources in the wilderness but how. The Wilderness
usually quite different in interest and knowledge than man- Act of 1964 speaks to scientific research, yet some
agersofhistoricalstructuresandarcheologicalsites.Natural wilderness managers feelthatthisdoes notapply tocultural
Hopefully, the information will also by therecurrentice buildup and thaw. These include former homesteads,
help them learn about the sites and Becauseoftheisolated location, there camps, villages, sacredsites,cemeter-
why they are worth preserving. isnothingthepublicagencymanaging ies, and places for collecting grasses,
— thesitecandowithout moreresources food plants, and feathers. These kinds
Natural—forces can also disturb even for preservation. Yet is seems impor- of sites should be identified and a
destroy wilderness sites. An exam- tant that the problem be noted as one means for protecting and preserving
ple is the Punyuk Point site on the measureofthelossthatoccursdailyto them developed. Some of these sites
shore of Etivlik Lake, also on the America's archeological record. also have archeological significance,
northern side ofthe Brooks Range. In but their value to both Native Ameri-
the 1950s William Irving excavated Finally, archeolngists and cans and archeologists must be con-
part of the site, which was key to his land managersmustrecognize sidered in making decisions about
description of the Arctic Small-Tool that wilderness areas contain how to treat them.
Tradition. Today, the side of the site sites that are important to Native
thatrunsalongthelakeisbeingeroded Americans as well as archeologists.
PAGE4 FEDERALARCHEOLOGYREPORT FALL1993
resources. Scientific research is a key tool for effective Theissueofcultural resourcesinwildernessisonlyonepart
management, protection, and interpretation. Wilderness ofa much largermosaic ofmanagement concerns. We now
managersmustalsoconsidertheimportancetheseareasmay need to address the larger issues ofhow to manage cultural
hold to Native Americans who use them for traditional resources within the full range ofnatural resource settings.
gathering, hunting, or spiritual purposes. And, as Jill Os- We have onlyjust begun.
born, archeologist with the Forest Service, has noted, the
newemphasis on ecosystem management, with its focus on LorettaNeumannispresidentofCEHP, Incorporated, 1133
resource distribution and density instead of arbitrary re- 20th St., NW, Washington, DC 20036. Phone (202) 293-
source development (timbercuts and ski lodges, for exam- 1774,fax [phone].
ple), means that managers can "focus heritage resource
surveys on the potential for significant sites, ratherthan on
where the bulldozer is going next."
MAKING WORK
IT Inthe 1970s,"culturalresources"asalegal
continuedfrompage1 termwasgenerallyappliedonlytoarcheo-
logicalandarchitecturalsitessubjecttothe
sionally designated wild lands, the task is requirements of the National Historic
to harmonize the management of the two Preservation Act, though the 1978 Ameri-
for present and future generations. can Indian Religious Freedom Act broad-
ened its meaningto include "sacred sites."
Although the Wilderness Act of 1964 de- The 1980 National Historic Preservation
fineswildernessas"anareawheretheearth Act amendments directed the Secretary of
and its community oflife areuntrammeled the Interior and the American Folklife
by man," it goes on to state that Congres- CenteroftheLibraryofCongresstoreport
sionally designated wildernesses may con- on needs for preserving the "intangible
tain features of "scientific, educational, elements of our cultural heritage such as
scenic, or historical value." The Endan- arts, skills, folklife, and folkways." This
gered American Wilderness Act of 1977 broad definition was strengthened by the
reaffirmed the idea. acceptanceofacategoryoftraditionalcul-
tural properties as being eligible for the
In 1980 the Central Idaho Wilderness Act, National Register of Historic Places. The
which established the River of No Return Trapper'scabin,ca.1900,inMinnesota'sBound Department of Defense has employed a
Wilderness, mandated that its cultural re- aryWatersCanoeAreaWilderness. broaddefinitionofcultural resources in its
sources be properly managed. Archeologi- COURTESYSUPERIORNATIONALFOREST Legacy Resource Management Program
cal and historical sites were to be protected and interpreted that includes the Chumash sweetgrass collecting sites at
forthe general public. The Senate report accompanying the California's Vandenburg Air Force Base and the High
final legislation emphasized the need for these activities Plains Crow vision quest sites in an Air National Guard
withindesignated wildernessareas. Morerecently,the 987 trainingarea. Culturalresourceoverviewsandmanagement
1
Senate reportdiscussingthe El MalpaisNational Conserva- programs in wildernesses and other wild corridors thus are
tionArealegislationnotedthepresenceofculturalresources directedtothe stewardshipofavarietyofplacesandobjects
requiring affirmative management within these areas. important to past and present cultural values.
The term "cultural resources," however, generally remains CULTURALRESOURCESINWILDLANDSAREUNIQUE.DISTANTFROM
one ofpractice rather than law; its inclusion in the Central urban communities that rely on large amounts of
Idaho Wilderness Act may be its firstCongressional use. In water for drinking, sewage, transportation, and wa-
practice, the term encompasses sites and artifacts that are tering crops, they embody the human experience of social
both prehistoric and historic (including industrial), terres- and cultural marginality. At the same time, these cultural
trial and submerged; historic architecture and engineered margins often coincide with the beginnings of the water-
structures; cultural landscapes and traditional cultural prop- sheds that people downstream depend upon. These areas
erties; traditional lifeways; and the documents, oral histo- may be rich in minerals, with a history ofmining. And they
ries, and other records that relate to these places and are recreational refuges forcity dwellers. Thus, these areas
collections. may be the site ofrich cultural exchange. They also hold an
—
FALL1993 FEDERALARCHEOLOGYREPORT PAGE5
'rtkf-. -».
CrocodileLake, BoundaryWatersCanoeAreaWilderness,Minnesota.
COURTESYSUPERIORNATIONALFOREST
invaluablerecordofpastenvironments; forexample, pollen to swipe spawning salmon from a swift-running river all
and soils from 10,000-year-old camp sites can provide the reflect important wilderness values whose conservation re-
basisforbettermanagementoftherefugesofwhichtheyare quires wise management. We can be better stewards ofthe
apart. wilderness if we use the lessons of the past, embodied in
archeologicalandarchitecturalsitesandlandscapes,topoint
THECHALLENGEISTOFORGEACONSENSUSONWHICHOFTHESE us to the future.
resources to preserve. This will be difficult because
all of us will bring our own individual values
adoptedfromourf—amilyupbringing,academictraining,and Ruthann Knudson isasupervisoryarcheologistandLegacy
on-the-job culture to thediscussion table. Land managers program coordinator with the Archeological Assistance
who are ecologically or commodity-oriented will have to Division, NationalParkService, P.O. Box37127, Washing-
realize that sometimes what is "trash" to them, to be re- ton, DC, 20013-7127. Phone [phone], fax (202)
moved from the wilderness, may be valued cultural re- 523-1547.
sources to others. Likewise, historians will have to Adaptedfromanarticlepublishedin the Proceedingsofthe
recognize that documenting an 1880s homestead and then National InterAgency Wilderness Conference, held in Tuc-
lettingitdecayintothelandscapemaysometimesbethebest son, AZ, May 17-21, 1993.
way to maintain solitude in a wilderness setting.
Thecry ofthe loon, the old apple orchard, the centuries-old
rock art on the cliffface, and the grizzly bearcubs learning
PAGE6 FEDERALARCHEOLOGYREPORT FALL1993
OKEFENOKEE SWAMP:
THE LAND OF TREMBLING EARTH
Sarah Bridges
T.
THE SLOW-MOVING BACKWATERS OF OKEFENOKEE SWAMP,
IN
it'seasy tounderstand why wilderness today is still seen
through the eyes of 19th century preservationists: as a
vestigeofpristinelandscapetobekeptclosedtohumanuse.
Thetruthis,Okefenokeehasarichfolkhistorythatabounds
with giant men, courageous women, and legendary crea-
tures. Native Americans gave the swamp its name, which
means"LandoftheTremblingEarth."Okefenokeeisdotted
with archeological remains, from Paleoindian sites, to 19th
century pioneer and timber settlements, to sites associated
with the early conservation efforts that accompanied the
establishment ofthe Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
in 1937.
.-
As with many other units of the National Wildlife Refuge
—
System, Okefenokee 396,000acres in southeastern Geor-
—
gia and northeastern Florida is managed not only as a Oldpassengercarconvertedtocampcar,OkefenokeeSwamp,1914.
PHOTOCOURTESYOKEFENOKEENATIONALWILDLIFEREFUGE
unique wildlife habitat but also as an environmental educa-
A
tionlaboratoryforusebythepublic. networkofwatercraft
THEREFUGEWASESTABLISHEDTOPROTECTTHISUNIQUEHABITAT
formigratory birds andendangered species. Early on,
theCivilianConservationCorpssetupCampCornelia
at the eastern entry to construct headquarters buildings,
install utilities, cleartrails, fenceboundaries, andbuild boat
ramps and picnic shelters.
In 1974, 353,981 acres were designated wilderness to pro-
vide additional protection forthis basin-shaped fresh-water
peat bog that was, during the early Pleistocene, on the floor
ofthe Atlantic Ocean. "In the past," says the Senate report
accompanying the legislation, "the Okefenokee area has
been threatened by drainage attempts, scarred by three dec-
ades oftimber removal, and periodically blackened by fire.
Yetavisitortotheswamptodayfindslittleevidenceofthese
'disasters.'" The report credits the survival ofthe refuge to
"thedifficulty in obtainingaccesstoit" and notestheexclu-
RaillineintoOkefenokeeSwampusedforsmalllocomotives. sion ofdevelopment and intensive use from the proposal.
PHOTOCOURTESYOKEFENOKEENATIONALWILDLIFEREFUGE
trails encourages people to experience the beauty of the Unde—r the new designation, established and un—obtrusive
swamp. Scientific research is promoted as well; preserva- uses such as recreation and scientific research were to
tion is most effective, the rationale goes, when wilderness continue. In fact,these activities wereconsideredbeneficial
managers fully understand theirown resources. because they fostered appreciation ofthe swamp.
FALL1993 FEDERALARCHEOLOGYREPORT PAGE7
OnBilly'sIslandinOkefenokeeSwampjustbeforelogging,1915.
PHOTOCOURTESYOKEFENOKEENATIONALWILDLIFEREFUGE
Archeologists withtheFish andWildlifeServicehaveiden- years. Today, the canal is a major recreational access route
tifiedandmappedarangeofprehistoric sites.Workingwith for sightseeing tours, photography, and fishing.
historians, they've mapped the remains of cabins, cottage
industries, andturpentineandtarprocessing sites, aswellas Okefenokee's education programs also encompass 19th
researched homesteads for use in environmental education century settlementsandanearly 20thcentury loggingcamp.
programs. A visitors center presents exhibits and programs on swamp
researchanditsroleinprotectingthewilderness.Anequally
Therefuge, whichcontainstheheadwatersoftheSuwannee prominentmessageisthe importanceofthepublic'spartici-
and St. Mary's rivers, features a 1 1.5 mile canal, built in pation, since it is they who will ultimately ensure the sur-
1891 by the Suwannee Canal Company to drain almost a vival ofwilderness here and across the nation.
quarterofamillion acres ofswamptofacilitate loggingand
cultivation. When this venture fell to bankruptcy, the He- Sarah T. Bridgesisregionalarcheologistwith the U.S. Fish
bardCypressCompany bought theacreage in 1899, leading and Wildlife Service SoutheastRegion, Atlanta, GA. Phone
to the construction of a railroad into Okefenokee in 1909. [phone].
Hebard harvested timber, largely cypress, for almost 20
PAGE8 FEDERALARCHEOLOGYREPORT FALL1993
THE URBAN WILDERNESS
LIFE IN
Patricia M. Spoerl
J^ calm pool of water be- the forest's ancient culture
£m\ low a spectacular where prehistoric people
A. mprecipice ... the sweet camped and grew food near
song of the hummingbird plentiful water.
. . .
cactus-covered slopes giving
way to the oak and pine of the Three elements are essential to
upperbluffs, where magnificent management of cultural re-
vistasawait.Lookingbacktothe sourcesintheurbanwilderness:
mouth of the canyon, one sees evaluating sites, studying the
luxury homes andurban sprawl, effects of visitors and vandals,
smellstheyellow sky, andhears and educating the public.
the sounds of airplanes and tar-
get ranges. Such can be the ur- Known sites are usually inven-
ban wilderness experience. toried,buttoooftentheirimpor-
TheCoronadoNationalForest, borderingTucson,AZ tance is not evaluated. Site
"Wilderness," says the 1964 PHOTOBYPATRICIAM.SPOERL evaluation should be consid-
Wilderness Act, is "an areawherethe earth and itscommu- ered during the planning and budgeting process to identify
nityoflifeareuntrammeledby man."This statementhardly those sites worthy oflong-term protection.
captures the reality of Coronado National Forest, which
borders the bustling metropolis of Tucson, AZ. Large Sites should be monitored and the effects of vandals, in
houses, apartment complexes, and luxury resorts nestle up particular, studied. Intensiveuseoftrailsandpopularcamp-
tothewildernessofPuschRidgeandtheRinconMountains. ingandpicnic sitestranslatestogreaterpotentialimpactson
cultural resources. This should be studied as well. These
Foryears wilderness managers interpreted statements from studies will help define which activities result in which
the 1964act, suchastheoneabove,tomeanthatarcheologi- impacts. It has already been demonstrated that the presence
cal sites and historic structures were not compatible with ofcertain artifacts (such as arrowheads and pottery) varies
wilderness. Today we are realizing that they are an integral with distance from trails and other recreational areas.
part ofthe wilderness experience.
P
perhaps the most important issue is increasing the
We maythinkthatthewildernessdesignationautomatically public's awareness. In urban wilderness we have an
protects thesesites and structuresbecause it limitsactivities opportunitytoconveyapreservationmessagetothou-
(such as archeology) to protect the land and implies that sands of visitors. What's more, education programs at
there will be few visitors and thus little vandalism ofsites. schools literally within sight ofthe wilderness can instill a
For some of the wilderness, this may be true. Often these preservation ethic in the next generation.
— —
sites mines, camps, cabins, rock art, and shrines are in
mountainous terrain far from the city. But at the Coronado Most agencies are undertaking planning efforts for wilder-
National Forest this is definitely not the case. ness areas. The Forest Service is completing plans for wil-
derness projects. Thus the time is right to incorporate ideas
Along the forest border, there are hiking trails, jogging for more intensive management of our valuable cultural
routes,andplacesforstreamsideparties.Untilflooddamage resources in the urban wilderness.
last winter, the Sabino Canyon shuttle deposited over 50
people at a time at the wilderness boundary for a hike to a Patricia M. Spoerl is an archeologist at the Coronado
near—by waterfall. At the mouths of ca—nyons closer to Tuc- National Forest, 300 West Congress, Tucson, AZ 85701.
son amid less rugged surroundings visitors experience Phone [phone],fax [phone].
FALL1993 FEDERALARCHEOLOGYREPORT PAGE9
ArcheologyfieldschoolstudentsstabilizedthedecayattheArmijoHomestead(above)inNewMexico'sCebollaWilderness, partofElMalpaisNationalConservation
Area.TheBureauofLandManagementsponsoredtheschool.
The Hopi View of Wilderness TheHopi wayofmeasuringthevalueof
cultural resources and other so-called
Ferrell Secakuku artifactsisnotintermsofmoney.Rather
it is their importance for life today and
HOPIS DO NOT HAVE A WORD FOR WILDERNESS abundance, usually broken into small their future destiny. The future of the
and setting aside land as wilderness is pieces with the trademarks showing. Hopi is a great burden to them because
not practiced. All land should be re- These are the footprints of the occu- webelievewemustlivealifeofspiritual
spected and all land is used only for pants. Hopis believe that ruins should meditation and humbleness in order to
survival, whether it be physical, spiri- remain untouched because when any- take this corrupt world, which will get
tual, or mental. Our religion does not thing is taken it breaks down the value worse, into the better world. Yes, we
teachustosubduetheearth.Ourreligion ofholding the village in place. believe in the fifth world and our spiri-
teaches us to take care ofthe earth in a tual integrity mustbe strong tokeepour
Hopiprophecyrecognizesthesecultural
spiritual way as stewards ofthe land. ruined villages alive. Ourhouses, kives,
resources as part of today's living cul-
and ourshrines at the ruined village pe-
Hopis do not view cultural resources, ture. They indeed should be protected rimeters must be kept warm and active.
such as ruins, as abandoned or as arti- forthe futureofourpeople. Mostofthe We rely on our spiritual ancestors who
flaacgtessowfetrheelpeafstt.asToisawHhoepni,thtehepseeovpille- ttiiomne,,inttheerpwraetyatwiohni,teanmdeenducvaiteiwonprsoeteemcs- preacsesievdetthhiesmewsasyagaensd. are still there to
were given a sign to move on. These not to bethe Hopi way. For Hopis, pro-
homes, kives, storehouses, and every- tection is based purely upon the honor Ferrell Secakuku lives in SecondMesa,
thingelsethatmakesacommunity,were system, upon respect and trust. Some- AZ.
leftexactlyastheywerebecauseitisour times H—opis feel that the things—they Excerpted from an article that appeared
belieftheHopi willsomedayreturn.Our believe honor, respect, and trust are intheProceedingsoftheNationalInter-
people are still there. Today the Hopi not compatible with other societies but Agency Wilderness Conference, held in
designatetheseruinsasasymboloftheir we continue to think it should be the Tucson, AZ, May 17-21, 1993.
sovereign flag. Potsherds are left in Hopi way.
PAGE10 FEDERALARCHEOLOGYREPORT FALL1993
CRUISING WITH WHALES, WALKING WITH BEARS:
DIGGING ALASKA'S WILDERNESS
Herbert Maschner
T.BENKOFBAY,ONTHEWESTSIDEOFKUIUISLANDINSOUTHEAST The sod was carefully cut and stored in a cool place, even
Alaska, is set amid spectacular old-growth trees, gla- watered occasionally. After excavation, the pits were re-
cial-scoured fjords, and small islands. The waters filled with beach gravel and stored sludge. Finally, the sod
team with humpback whales, harbor seals, porpoises, and wasputback.Afterayear,mostevidenceoftheexcavations
halibut. Theairis alive with thecall ofthebaldeagle, while wasgone.Similarprecautionsweretakenwithallfieldwork.
the woods abound with black bear, wolves, and deer. Te-
benkofBay is the essence ofwilderness. The survey identified 155 sites, including 7 large villages
and 87 small ones.Radio—carbondates span—nedthelast4,500
It was the pristine nature ofthe region and its long heritage years. The earliest sites 3000-1500 BC were small, be-
that led me to begin the Tebenkof Bay Archaeological cominglargerbetween 1500BCandAD500.Largevillages
Projectin 1988.Theprojectwouldhavebeenlesssuccessful with houses began to appear at AD 550.
in otherareas. Because much ofthe region is unsuitable for
habitation, the archeological sites here have not fallen prey Many later sites, closer to salmon harvesting areas, were
to the building construction that has destroyed prehistoric built for defense. Defensive positions were built on bluffs
villages elsewhere. Further, Native Alaskan knowledge of after AD 1150. The next 200 years saw a radical shift in
the area added depth to the archeological analysis. subsistence, from an economy based on herring, cod, and
sea mammals to one based on salmon and deer. After that
In the past, this area was the homeland ofthe Kuiu Tlingit, time, the bay was abandoned only to be reoccupied just
who today have many descendants in Kake, about40 miles before historic contact, perhaps AD 1700.
to the northeast. Until the turn of the century, the Tlingit
lived in the ancient village of Kuiu in the central bay. The Theseevents seemtocorrelate withchanges inclimate. The
villagers hunted, fished, carved totems, and traded with first villages with houses began to appear around the warm
villages nearby. period that began about AD 500. Over the next 700 years,
populations increased, warfare escalated, and subsistence
—
These peoples were stratified into three classes nobles, a changed. The region was abandoned around the peak ofthe
middle class of kinsmen to the nobles, and people at the so-called Little Ice Age, about AD 1400, a frigid era.
bottom without property. The goal was to discover how
these societies came to live in large villages and develop Both environmentally and scientifically, the project was a
such a complex, stratified social organization. To answer success,thankstostudentsfromtheUniversityofCalifornia
these questions, it was necessary to conduct a survey ofthe at SantaBarbaraandMark McCallum, an archeologist with
bay, excavate in village sites, and devoteliterally thousands theTongass National Forest. With hisencouragement, field
ofhours to sorting, cataloging, and identifying the remains methodswereadjustedforthewilderness. Throughhim,we
offish, shellfish, and mammals. were able to involve Native Alaskans in the project.
AN
ARCHEOLOGISTINTHEWILDERNESS FACES A HOSTOF PROB- This work was a hallmark for relations between Federal
lems, most having to do with not visibly—changing agencies and the academic community. It showed that aca-
he environment. Because power tools in fact demicresearchcan meshcomfortably withthe management
—
most tools with moveable parts are not allowed, methods ofcultural resources in the wilderness. Further, the project
mustbealtered.Thiswasadefiniteproblemwhenscreening proves that archeology can respect a wilderness such as
excavated materials. We had to use a hand-powered water Tebenkof Bay, with its dramatic terrain, crystal-clear wa-
pump with screens placed over large drums. Silt-laden wa- ters, and abundant life.
terswererecycled through the pumptoavoid runoffintothe
bay. At the end ofeach day, the sludge at the bottom ofthe HerbertMaschnerisanassistantprofessorofanthropology
barrels was stored for backfilling the excavations. at the University ofWisconsin, Madison. Phone (608) 262-
5818,fax [phone].