Geophysical analysis at the Old Whaling site, Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, reveals the possible impact of permafrost loss on archaeological interpretation
The Old Whaling site at Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, has been the subject of contested interpretations stemming from an original theory proposed by J. Louis Giddings more than half a century ago. In an attempt to address recent suggestions that the occupational history is more complex than originally b...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Norwegian Polar Institute
2013-09-01
|
| Series: | Polar Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/download/19888/pdf_1 |
| _version_ | 1828217712236560384 |
|---|---|
| author | Christopher B. Wolff Thomas M. Urban |
| author_facet | Christopher B. Wolff Thomas M. Urban |
| author_sort | Christopher B. Wolff |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Old Whaling site at Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, has been the subject of contested interpretations stemming from an original theory proposed by J. Louis Giddings more than half a century ago. In an attempt to address recent suggestions that the occupational history is more complex than originally believed, the site was the subject of a non-invasive geophysical survey conducted by our team in 2011. The project served as a starting point for assessing the potential for archaeological remains at the site that had not been detected with previous investigations, and to gain a better understanding of site morphology. The investigation was implemented with two well-established geophysical methods, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and magnetic gradiometry. The survey revealed no unequivocal evidence of additional occupations as has been recently suggested, but did reveal a dynamic site morphology that may have implications for archaeological interpretation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T15:52:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-af1efb0dd4224f2ea0e47df1cd161a08 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0800-0395 1751-8369 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T15:52:03Z |
| publishDate | 2013-09-01 |
| publisher | Norwegian Polar Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polar Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-af1efb0dd4224f2ea0e47df1cd161a082022-12-22T03:26:29ZengNorwegian Polar InstitutePolar Research0800-03951751-83692013-09-0132011210.3402/polar.v32i0.19888Geophysical analysis at the Old Whaling site, Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, reveals the possible impact of permafrost loss on archaeological interpretationChristopher B. WolffThomas M. UrbanThe Old Whaling site at Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, has been the subject of contested interpretations stemming from an original theory proposed by J. Louis Giddings more than half a century ago. In an attempt to address recent suggestions that the occupational history is more complex than originally believed, the site was the subject of a non-invasive geophysical survey conducted by our team in 2011. The project served as a starting point for assessing the potential for archaeological remains at the site that had not been detected with previous investigations, and to gain a better understanding of site morphology. The investigation was implemented with two well-established geophysical methods, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and magnetic gradiometry. The survey revealed no unequivocal evidence of additional occupations as has been recently suggested, but did reveal a dynamic site morphology that may have implications for archaeological interpretation.www.polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/download/19888/pdf_1Cape KrusensternOld Whaling culturegeophysicscryoturbationarchaeologyAlaska |
| spellingShingle | Christopher B. Wolff Thomas M. Urban Geophysical analysis at the Old Whaling site, Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, reveals the possible impact of permafrost loss on archaeological interpretation Polar Research Cape Krusenstern Old Whaling culture geophysics cryoturbation archaeology Alaska |
| title | Geophysical analysis at the Old Whaling site, Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, reveals the possible impact of permafrost loss on archaeological interpretation |
| title_full | Geophysical analysis at the Old Whaling site, Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, reveals the possible impact of permafrost loss on archaeological interpretation |
| title_fullStr | Geophysical analysis at the Old Whaling site, Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, reveals the possible impact of permafrost loss on archaeological interpretation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Geophysical analysis at the Old Whaling site, Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, reveals the possible impact of permafrost loss on archaeological interpretation |
| title_short | Geophysical analysis at the Old Whaling site, Cape Krusenstern, Alaska, reveals the possible impact of permafrost loss on archaeological interpretation |
| title_sort | geophysical analysis at the old whaling site cape krusenstern alaska reveals the possible impact of permafrost loss on archaeological interpretation |
| topic | Cape Krusenstern Old Whaling culture geophysics cryoturbation archaeology Alaska |
| url | http://www.polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/download/19888/pdf_1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christopherbwolff geophysicalanalysisattheoldwhalingsitecapekrusensternalaskarevealsthepossibleimpactofpermafrostlossonarchaeologicalinterpretation AT thomasmurban geophysicalanalysisattheoldwhalingsitecapekrusensternalaskarevealsthepossibleimpactofpermafrostlossonarchaeologicalinterpretation |