area. Several small pieces of wood that may show evidence of having
been cut were scattered about the area. The presence of historic
materials and lithics together may indicate a multi-component site,
although none of the observed artifacts are diagnostic.

The site is located about 140 meters away from and 60 meters above the
Siksikpuk River.

Vegetation on the site includes Dryas, knik-knik, dwarf birch, willow,
saxifrage, lichens, and grasses.

Site Number: XCL-019
Location: T. 8 S., R. 4 E., Secs. 26 and 27
Map Reference: Chandler Lake 1:250,000

Description: This is a tent ring site located on the terrace along the
right (east) side of the Anaktuvuk River valley just south of the
confluence with the Kanayut River.

The site consists of four tent rings, situated along the edge of the
terrace overlooking the Anaktuvuk floodplain. The four rings are spread
over a distance of about 400 meters, with the northernmost ring located
on the northern tip of the terrace. A distinct vehicle track runs along
the terrace, passing close to the tent rings.

Tent Ring #2 is the northernmost of the four rings, has been seriously
disturbed, and is distinguishable only as a half-circle measuring about
3.2 meters in length.

Tent Ring #1 is located about 100 meters south of #2 and has also been
disturbed. It appears to have originally measured about 4.2 by 3.1
meters. Numerous willow sticks are scattered about the area of this

ring.

Tent Rings #3 and #4 are located about 275 meters south of #1 and about
six meters from the edge of the terrace. The two rings are separated by
about six meters. Tent Ring #3 is the most southerly, and is almost
square, measuring 3.2 by 3.4 meters. Tent Ring #4 measures 3.9 by 2.9
meters. No other sign of cultural remains was noted.

Vegetation on the site includes Dryas, knik-knik, blueberries, and dwarf
birch.

14


shallow unstratified sites that were interpreted as containing more than
one cultural component. Complexes occuring together at these sites were
distinguished primarily on the basis of typological and distributional
factors, raising questions about their validity. Nevertheless, much of
Campbell's work has been substantiated by later research, and it is
clear that his efforts demonstrated the existence in and near CAMA of
the following generally accepted complexes: Tuktu, Denbigh, Norton,
Ipiutak, Kavik, and Nunamiut.

The next major field effort within CAMA was that of Herbert L. Alexander
in the sixties. He conducted survey and excavation in the vicinity of
Anaktuvuk Pass, Chandler Lake, and Galbraith Lake, locating over 75
sites in the Galbraith area, including material similar to Denbigh and
Tuktu (Alexander 1967; 1968). Among the sites he discovered was the
large stratified Atigun site, which he believed contained early as well
as late materials. Later excavation by Ian R. Wilson (1978) indicates
that the site is entirely late prehistoric and represents an Athapaskan
occupation on the north side of the Brooks Range.

Edwin S. Hall, Jr. conducted extensive survey throughout much of the
Brooks Range in 1967, in a fashion that he feels was sufficient to
locate all late prehistoric lake shore sites. Within CAMA he discovered
sites along the Killik River, at Itkillik Lake, and at the Nakaktuk
Lakes (Hall 1975).

Between 1969 and 1975 much archaeological work was carried out within
CAMA as a result of construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline.

David Derry (1971) excavated a late historic settlement at Prudhoe Bay,
using ethnographic data to explain archaeological materials. Glenn
Bacon (1971) located and tested about 25 sites in the Toolik Lake area,
revealing a record of habitation by late prehistoric/historic Nanamiut
as well as some remains that are similar to those from the Gallagher
Flint Station. Herbert Alexander (1974) excavated the Putu site along
the Sagavanirktok River, recovering materials he believes are related to
early horizons known form the continental United States. E. James Dixon
(1971) excavated the Galagher Flint Station near the Sagavanirktok
River, obtaining a radiocarbon date from one occupation in excess of
10,000 years (1972:269). James Corbin (1971) excavated at the historic
Eskimo village of Aniganigurak near the western end of the Atigun
canyon. Michael Kunz (1971; 1977) excavated the Mosquito Lake site in
the same area as Aniganigurak, recovering Denbigh-like materials and
some evidence of later occupation. Kunz also surveyed and tested around
Itkillik Lake, reporting on 57 sites assigned to various archaeological
complexes including Denbigh, Ipiutak, Kavik and Tuktu (Kunz 1976).

Since completion of the oil pipeline, two projects of note have been
carried out in the CAMA area. The North Slope Borough has shown
considerable interest in traditional land use by local residents, and
has compiled a series of atlases of Traditional Land Use Inventory Sites


1976 Archaeological Survey in the Region of Itkillik Lake, Alaska.
Report to the Bureau of Land Management and the National
Park Service. Ms.

1977 The Mosquito Lake Site (PSM-049). In Pipeline Archeology,
edited by J. P. Cook, pp. 747-982. Institute of Arctic
Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

North Slope Borough
1976 Traditional Land Use Inventory: Nuiqsut/Tasikpak, National
Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. Ms. prepared by the North Slope
Borough, Barrow, Alaska
1977a Traditional Land Use Inventory: Anaktuvuk Pass. Ms. prepared
by the North Slope Borough, Barrow, Alaska.

Porter, Stephen C.
1964 Antiquity of Man at Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. American
Antiquity 29(4):493-496.

Smith, Howard L.

1981 Archaeological Resources of the Central Arctic Management
Area: A Literature Review and Analysis of Alternatives
for Inventory. Ms. on file, Arctic-Kobuk Resource Area,
Fairbanks District Office, Bureau of Land Management,
Fairbanks, Alaska.

Solecki, Ralph S.

1950a New Data on the Inland Eskimo of Northern Alaska. Journal
of the Washington Academy of Sciences 40(5):137-157.

1950b A Preliminary Report of an Archaeological Reconnaissance of
the Kukpowruk and Kokolik Rivers in Northwest Alaska.
American Antiquity 16(1):66-69.

1951 Notes on Two Archaeological Discoveries in Northern Alaska,
1950. American Antiquity 17(1):55-57.

Solecki, Ralph S. and R. J. Hackman
1951 Additional Data on the Denbigh Flint Complex in Northern
Alaska. Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences
41(3) :85-88.

Spearman, Grant
1979 Land Use Values Through Time in the Anaktuvuk Pass Area.
Second Printing. North Slope Borough. Anthropology and
Historic Preservation, Cooperative Park Studies Unit,
Occasional Paper No. 22. University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

18


it was assumed that large numbers of sites would be found along the
route of the proposed ASRC transportation corridor. While factors
outlined above make any generalization extremely tentative, it
nevertheless is true that no such concentration of sites was encountered,
and that numerous locations which appeared to have high potential for
site occurrence were inspected without finding anything.

Recommendations

1. Adequate evaluation of TLUI sites requires the participation of a
cultural anthropologist and knowledgeable local individuals. Specific
locations of TLUI sites and the nature of local concern can only be
provided by residents of the area, and evaluation of the cultural
significance of sites can best be provided by a cultural anthropologist.
TLUI sites should also be inspected by an archaeologist to determine
what, it any, material remains are present.

2. Backpacking as a means of travel for reconnaissance inventory has
limited utility. If the goal of survey is to maximize the number of
sites discovered, other means of travel are more efficient. Once it
became clear that the expected high density of sites did not occur along
the Chandler River, it would have been useful to have been able to move
field personnel to another location. However, because of little or no
contact with base camp or the helicopter, it was not possible to alter
the initial strategy.

Of course, in a situation where an area must be completely surveyed,
regardless of site density, backpacking may well prove to be the most
efficient use of time and money.

3. Recommendations concerning appropriate approaches to inventory
contained in Smith (1981) are still valid. A comprehensive Class I
inventory, including known cultural resources from the North Slope
outside of CAMA, is the necessary first step. In the absence of
significant amounts of funding and manpower, additional on-the-ground
inventory is not likely to add significantly to what can already be
provided for ES or planning document purposes. Archaeological clearances
prior to specific surface-disturbing activities continue to be required
and should be carried out as early as possible.


of the Chandler River increased the probability of site occurrence on
the river itself.

The Anaktuvuk River was selected for inventory because of the cultural
resources known to occur in the vicinity of Anaktuvuk Pass and because
several TLUI sites are located in the Anaktuvuk drainage. Like the
Chandler River, there are also numerous locations that provide good
camping and hunting spots along most of the valley, where raised glacial
features are quite common.

The Siksikpuk drainage was surveyed because archaeological sites are
known from Natvakruak Lake at the headwaters of one of the tributaries

to the Siksikpuk, because terraces providing good hunting and camping
spots are present, because two TLUI sites are located within the drainage,
and because the Siksikpuk presents a somewhate different topographic
situation than either of the other rivers. While the Anaktuvuk and
Chandler in the areas surveyed are essentially a single major stream,

the Siksikpuk drainage consists of five or six approximately equal
streams in a dendritic pattern.

The east-west transect of the transportation corridor was surveyed
because of the potential for impacts and to provide data that was not
tied directly to a stream drainage.

Two different survey methods were employed. Inventory on the Chandler
River was conducted on foot with only limited helicopter support. Six
days were spent backpacking a ca.15 mile stretch of the river valley,
restricted to only one side of the stream at a time because water levels
were so high as to prevent safe crossing of the river. Survey began on
the right (east) side of the river, where about five miles were walked.
Then personnel were ferried by helicopter about two miles downstream,
avoiding a low swampy area containing few promising site locations, and
an eight mile section of the valley on the left (west) side was then
covered.

Inventory for other transects was conducted primarily from the air,
flying at low levels in the helicopter and landing to inspect locations
having a high probability of site occurrence. Four days were spent in
this phase of the survey. Figure 1 shows the areas surveyed, indicating
as precisely as possible those locations where on-the-ground inspection

was performed.

Test pits were not excavated, as ground surface was generally quite
visible, and with the exception of a single isolated find, no cultural
materials were collected.


for several areas, including the Anaktuvuk Pass region and the Nuiqsut/
Tasikpak area (North Slope Borough 1976; 1977). Among these TLUI sites
are several at which material remains such as sod houses or grave sites
are reported, as well as traditional hunting or fishing locations which
may contain material remains of past activity. In addition to the TLUI
sites, the Borough has sponsored several more detailed studies of land
use patterns around the villages, including Anaktuvuk Pass (Spearman
1979) and Nuiqsut (Hoffman et al. n.d.).

The University of Alaska has conducted considerable survey along the
route of the proposed natural gas pipeline, which follows the general
course of the oil pipeline through CAMA, but results of work north of
the Brooks Range are not yet available.

This brief review of past archaeological work in CAMA should make one
thing clear. Despite significant amounts of work on the North Slope,
relatively little has been completed within CAMA itself, where only the
area around Anaktuvuk Pass and the corridor containing the oil and gas
pipeline rights-of-way have received intensive efforts. While much of
the recent research that has been done on the North Slope outside of
CAMA should be applicable in a general fashion, the area remains largely
unknown archaeologically. Consequently, survey in almost any area could
add to our understanding of the prehistoric resources of the region. It
should further be obvious that the very limited amount of work conducted
in 1981 is not going to produce such data for an area containing nearly
4.5 million acres of Bureau~administered land.

Description of Survey

Prior to the beginning of field work, two days were spent flying over
much of the area in a fixed-wing aircraft in order to select locations
for on-the-ground inventory. Areas selected included portions of the
Chandler, Siksikpuk, and Anaktuvuk River drainages in and near the
proposed ASRC transportation corridor, and a transect of this corridor
in the area west of Galbraith Lake. Survey transects following river
drainages were oriented essentially north-south, while that along the
transportation corridor was east-west.

The Chandler River was selected for survey because of the presence along
much of its length of locations having a high potential for site occurrence
and because of the large lake near the headwaters. A series of one or

two prominent terraces follow the course of the Chandler through the
southern foothills, providing well-drained areas that afford a good view
of the surrounding countryside. Such locations are often the site of
hunting camps or lookout sites. Large lakes have been shown to be loci

of considerable prehistoric activity in much of the Brooks Range, and it
was assumed that the presence of such a water body near the headwaters


University of Alaska Department of Anthropology

1970 Report of Archaeological Survey and Excavations along the
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company Haulroad and Pipeline
Alignments. Department of Anthropology, University of
Alaska, Fairbanks.

1971 Final Report of the Archaeological Survey and Excavations
along the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company Pipeline Route.
Department of Anthropology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Wilson, Ian R.

1978 Archaeological Investigations at the Atigun Site, Central
Brooks Range, Alaska. National Museum of Man Mercury Series.
Archaeological Survey of Canada, Paper No. 78. National
Museums of Canada, Ottawa.

19


because the CAMA survey involved looking only in those areas assumed to
have a high likelihood of site occurrence, it is not possible to make
such an evaluation. Results of this survey are reliable predictors of
the whole of CAMA only to the extent that assumptions about what
constitutes a high probability location are valid, and these assumptions
cannot be tested without doing nonintuitive inventory. It would be
possible to make reliable generalizations to the entirety of CAMA only
if a statistically valid sampling scheme had been used in such a fashion
that on-the-ground survey was done in all areas, not just those that
were felt to have high probability of site occurrence.

An example of the shortcomings of intuitive survey can be derived from
the Alyeska oil pipeline archaeology project. Initial survey along the
route of the piepline was conducted in a manner similar to the 1981 CAMA
survey, with inspection of only those locations felt to have high
probability of site occurrence. Later in the life of the project when
specific impacts such as gravel sources were identified, archaeologists
were required to conduct site-specific clearances in many locations that
had previously been overlooked. This second phase of survey resulted in
the discovery of numerous significant archaeological sites that had not
been found as a result of the earlier intuitive inventory (Gal, personal
communication).

Despite these serious reservations, results of the 1981 CAMA survey do
seem to support some inpressionistic conclusions.

1. Conflicts between archaeological sites and gravel sources remain a
definite possibility along the route of the ASRC transportation corridor.
Nine of the ten sites discussed here were located on topographic features
that seem to have some potential as material sources. Four were situated
on stream terraces, which may have only limited utility as material
sources, but four were discovered on isolated glacial features clearly
having potential for such use, and one was discovered as a result of
clearance work for a proposed material source.

2. TLUI sites appear to be good indicators of the present. Both of
the sites that were inspected on the ground contained at least some
material remains, and at one of these locations a fairly extensive site
was discovered. It is worth emphasizing that this site (XCL-019) was so
situated with respect to the TLUI sites that attempts to avoid impacts
to the TLUI site by relocating actions away from it might very well have
resulted in impacts to the archaeological site. The lesson to be
learned is that, in the absence of specific data to the contrary, we can
only treat the entire area around a designated TLUI site as having high
potential for cultural resources.

3. Results of this inventory may indicate that site density within the
southern foothills area of CAMA is not as high as had been originally
anticipated. Based on known cultural resources in the foothills area,


BLM/AK/OF-83/03 BLM-Alaska Open File Report 3
June 1983

Archaeological Reconnaissance
in the Central Arctic
Management Area

1981

by Howard L. Smith

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Bureau of Land Management

Alaska

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Description: The site is a tent ring site located on the left bank of
the Chandler River just below a prominent hill that has been cut by the
river. The stream makes a sharp turn to the east at this point and the
site is located on the north side of the river, on the lower of two
terraces. Site lies about three meters above the level of the river.

The site consists of a single rectangular tent ring measuring 2.3 by 2.9
meters with other possibly significant rock alignments in the area. One
rusted tin can was located about 50 meters to the west of the tent ring.

Vegetation at the site includes knik-knik, dwarf Birch, crowberry,
cranberry and lichens.

Site Number: XCL-015
Location: T. 10 S., R. 7 E., Sec. 35
Map Reference: Chandler Lake 1:250,000

Description: The site is a small lithic scatter located on a glacial
feature along the left bank of Cobblestone Creek. The site is situated
near the northern end of a sinuous ridge, just south of the point at
which an unnamed stream drains into Cobblestone Creek. The site lies
about 45 meters above and 100 meters away from Cobblestone Creek.

The site consists of a single large amorphous core and 15-20 flakes of
gray and blue chert scattered over an area of about three square meters.
A medial fragment of a large nondiagnostic biface was collected from the
ridge top about 320 meters south of the core and flake scatter.

Vegetation on the site includes Dryas, knik-knik, occasional dwarf birch
and scattered lichens.

Site Number: XCL-016
Location: T. 10 S., R. 7 E., Sec. 35
Map Reference: Chandler Lake 1:250,000

Description: Site is a surface lithic scatter extending for a distance
of about 45 meters along the top of an isolated ridge north of that on
which XCL-015 is located. This ridge may be a continuation of the
glacial feature on which XCL-015 lies, but if so, the ridge has been
bisected by a small creek so that the two sites are now located on
separate elevated points with the creek running between them.

12


Site Descriptions

Site Number: XCL-012
Location: T. 11S., R. 2W., Sec. 4.
Map Reference: Chandler Lake 1:250,000

Description: The site is a surface lithic scatter located on a gravel
and cobble terrace ca. 250 meters east of the Chandler River and
immediately to the north of a small dry stream channel. The terrace on
which the site is located is situated at the mouth of a draw that cust
the bluffs on the east side of the river valley. The site is located
about 25 meters back from the edge of the terrace and near the northern-
most extension of the terrace.

The site consists of a scatter of white, tan and grey cert flakes
distributed over an area of six by eight meters. No complete or
fragmentary tools were observed.

Vegetation at the site includes Dryas, knik-knik, cranberry, crowberry,
dwarf birch and lichens.

Site Number: XCL-013

Location: T. 10 S., R. 2 W., Sec. 16

Map Reference: Chandler Lake 1:250,000

Description: The site is a small lithic scatter consisting of only four
or five flakes of white, gray and banded gray chert located on two
distinct outcrops atop a small hill about 400 meters west of the Chandler
River. Site location offers an unobstructed 360° view of the surrounding
area. The outcrops on which debitage was observed are about 40 meters
apart. Three five gallon cans and a small pile of willow branches are
located on the eastern side of the hill.

Vegetation on the site includes Dryas, knik-knik and lichens.

Site Number: XCL-014

Location: T. 9 S., R. 2 W., Sec. 28

Map Reference: Chandler Lake 1:250,000

ii


Results of Survey

Nine sites were discovered as a result of the survey described above.
One additional site, discovered in 1980 during preconstruction survey of
an oil well in the area, is also included because it has not previously
been reported. With two exceptions, these sites can be placed into one
of two types: tent ring sites and lithic scatters. The two exceptions
are sites that contained both tent rings and lithic remains; of the
remaining eight, six are lithic scatters and two are tent ring sites.

Three sites were located along the Chandler River, one on the Siksikpuk,
two in the Anaktuvuk valley, and four within the townships containing
the ASRC transporations corridor between the Kanayut and Itkillik
Rivers. Figure 2 shows the locations of sites; detailed descriptions of
individual sites are contained in an appendix.

Four sites were located on terrances along margins of river valleys,
five on isolated ridges, kames, or hills, and one on top of the steep
bluffs at the edge of a river valley. Seven sites were located at or
near stream confluences.

None of the discovered sites were particularly extensive, and with only
one possible exception, no diagnostic artifacts were observed at any of
the sites. Consequently, except where historic materials such as metal
pans or tin cans were found, it is not possible to assign age or cultural
affiliation to the sites.

Eight TLUI sites were investigated. Two of the eight were inspected on
foot, the remaining six only from the air. Cultural remains reported to
be present at three of the sites were not found, although materials
other than those reported were found at two locations. In one case, a
fairly extensive tent ring site (XCL-019) was discovered adjacent to a
designated TLUI site, and in the other, three chert flakes were found.

Conclusions

Although work accomplished in 1981 was not intended to obtain a
representative sample of the whole of CAMA, a few tentative conclusions
seem justified. Any attempt to generalize to the entire area on the
basis of this work must, however, be viewed with skepticism for two
reasons. First, the amount of work accomplished was so miniscule with
respect to an area the size of CAMA that it cannot in any way be construed
as representing the entire area. Second, because an intuitive model was
used to select locations for on-the-ground inspection, there is no way
to determine if results are representative. Even a small sample, if
gathered in a statistically acceptable fashion, could be evaluated to
determine the probability that it represented the entire area, but


this data gap, and to provide a basis for developing future approaches
to gathering necessary information.

3. To conduct cursory appraisal of the cultural resources along the
route of a right-of-way granted to the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
by ANILCA. Although the Act does not reserve a specific right-of-way,
it does not reserve a specific right-of-way, it does specify a tier of
townships running east-west at a latitude just north of Galbraith Lake.
Because the Act stipulates assessment of transportation corridors and
because this area may well be the location of relatively early impacts,
it seemed advisable to concentrate efforts along the potential corridor.

Previous Work

In order to accomplish the stated objectives, it was first necessary to
examine the available information on archaeological sites within the
Central Arctic Management Area. A report was prepared describing past
archaeological work including recommendations for future inventory
efforts (Smith 1981). Where locational data were adequate, sites were
plotted on 1:250,000 scale maps. A brief summary of this report is
included here to provide the proper context for the inventory work that
was conducted.

Archaelogical research began in CAMA in the late forties and early
fifties (Solecki 1950a; 1951; Solecki and Hackman 1951). Much of this
work consisted of reports from geological field crews, and materials
reported were largely of recent origin. Among these earliest reports,
however, was a significant find of Denbigh-like remains from Natvakruak
Lake (Solecki and Hackman 1951).

Research continued in the fifties with survey by William N. Irving in
the Endicott Mountains and along the Colville River (1951; 1952; 1953a;
1953b). Irving's various publications report additional Denbigh-like
material from the Anaktuvuk River as well as recent remains and material
of indeterminate age (1951; 1952). Sites reported from along the
Colville were late prehistoric or historic.

Beginning in 1956, John M. Campbell conducted several years of work in

the Anaktuvuk Pass area, developing a cultural sequence for the region

and identifiying a number of new archaeological complexes (Campbell

1959; 1961a; 1961b; 1962; 1963; 1968). Campbell's sequence for Brooks
Range prehistory covers a period of about 7,000 years (Porter 1964) and

is interpreted by him as representing successive occupations of the area
by groups from different cultural traditions rather than as a developmental
sequence (Campbell 1962354). Campbell's is the most comprehensive

scheme generated from the CAMA region, but there are a number of problems
associated with it. Several of the named complexes were defined from


Site Number: XCL-020
Location: T. 10 S., R. 3 E., Sec. 24

Map Reference: Chandler Lake 1:250,000

Description: This is a tent ring site located on the west side of the
Anaktuvuk River valley near the confluence with Anayaknaurak Creek. The
site lies near the tip of a point along a terrace at a level about nine
meters above the river and about 275 meters west of it.

The site consists of two or three large (2 1/2 to 3 meter) stone rings
and one smaller (1 to 1 1/2 meter) ring. A few flakes of gray and black
chert were observed in the vicinity of the rings. There are also
numerous stones not immediately associated with the various rings that
are scattered about the terrace.

Vegetation on the site includes Dryas, sacifrage, grasses and lichens.

Site Number: XCL-021
Location: T. 10 S., R. 9 E., Sec 30
Map Reference: Chandler Lake 1:250,000

Description: The site is a small lithic scatter located on a hogback
ridge atop a high plateau about four miles east of May Creek. The site
consists of a scatter of 46 flakes of gray, blue and white chert
distributed over an area of six by nine meters. The major concentration
of materials was restricted to an area of about one meter square near
the southwestern corner of the site. The site lies at an elevation of
approximately 3,450 feet, and commands a good view of the small valley
to the west. No diagnostic artifacts were recovered, although four
flakes show clear evidence of edge retouch.

Soil at the site is shallow, consisting of only two to five centimeters
of organic material overlying a typical arctic brown subsoil intermixed
with decomposing bedrock.

Vegetation on the site include Dryas, lichens and scattered grasses.

XCL-021 was completely collected, and the site area has since been
destroyed in the process of mining materials for construction of an oil

well drill pad.

15


Derry, David E.

1971 The Archaeology and Anthropology of a Recent Eskimo
Habitation at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. In Final Report of the
Archaeological Survey and Excavations along the Alyeska
Pipeline Service Company Pipeline Route, pp. 6-116.
Department of Anthropology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Dixon, E. James, Jr.

1971 The Gallagher Flint Station and Other Sites Along the
Sagavanirktok River. In Final Report of The Archaeolgical
Survey and Excavations along the Alyeska Pipeline Service
Company Pipeline Route, pp. 117-207. Department of
Anthropology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

1972 The Gallagher Flint Station, an Early Man Site on The North
Slope, Arctic Alaska. Master's thesis, University of Alaska.

Hail, Edwin S., Jr.
1975 An Archaeological Survey of Interior Northwest Alaska.
Anthropological Papers of the University of Alaska
17(2):13-30.

Hoffman, David, David Libbey and Grant Spearman
n.d. Nuiqsut: A Study of Land Use Values Through Time. NPR-A
Study for the North Slope Borough. Anthropology and Historic
Preservation, Cooperative Park Studies Unit, Occasional Paper
No. 12. University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Irving, William N.

1951 Archaeology in the Brooks Range of Alaska. American Antiquity
17(1) :52-53.

1952 An Archaeological Reconnaissance in the Brooks Range. Progress
report to the Arctic Institute of North America, ONR-70. Ms.
on file, Naval Arctic Research Laboratory, Barrow.

1953a An Archaeolgical Reconnaissance of the Lower Colville River
and Delta Regions. Final Report Submitted to the Office of
Naval Research by the University of Alaska. Manuscript.

1953b Evidence of Early Tundra Cultures in Northern Alaska.
Anthropological Papers of the University of Alaska
1(2):55-85.

1962 1961 Field Work in the Western Brooks Range, Alaska: A
Preliminary Report. Arctic Anthropology 1(1):76-83.

Kunz, Michael
1971 The Mosquito Lake Site (S-63) in the Galbraith Lake Area.
In Final Report of the Archaeological Survey and
Excavations along the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company
Route, pp. 297-324. Department of Anthropology, University
of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Lk


Introduction and Background

Archaeological inventory was conducted by the Fairbanks District of
the Bureau of Land Management at several locations on the North Slope of
the Brooks Range during the summer of 1981. Inventory was performed as
part of a study mandated by the Alaska National Interest Lands
Conservation Act for the Central Arctic Mangement Area, which is that
region north of 68° and between the Arctic Wildlife Range on the east
and the National Petroleum Reserve on the west. Section 1001 of the Act
calls for a "...systematic interdisciplinary approach to assess
potential oil and gas resources, including evaluation of alternative
transportation routes; review wilderness characteristics; and study the
wildlife resources of these lands."

Although not specifically mentioned by the Act, it was clear that
consideration of cultural resources could benefit the mandated studies.
In much of the area, transportation corridors will create potential for
serious impacts on archaeological sites, and a full evaluation of
possible corridors should include treatment of cultural resources.
Experience with the Alyeska oil pipeline demonstrated that conflicts
result expecially from the mining of gravel, because sources for such
material in the foothills north of Brooks Range are often glacial
features that are prime locations for hunting camps and lookout sites.
Also, to the extent that the subsistence issue is involved in wildlife
studies, archaeology could provide information useful in defining
traditional and customary uses and areas of such use. Finally, because
the final product of the CAMA study was intended to be an Environmental
Statement or general land-use planning document, there is a need to
address the full range of resource values, including prehistoric and
historic sites.

Time, personnel and funding available for field work in 1981 were
not sufficient to support the extensive survey necessary to provide
significant new base data for Environmental Statement or planning
document purposes. Consequently, work was organized in an attempt to
accomplish three more limited objectives:

aS To familiarize personnel with the climate, terrain and type of
sites in the area. This would allow planning for future work with a
better grasp of logistics and costs, and would also facilitate more
appropriate research designs for future work.

2. To assess the nature and extent of problems involved in management

of Traditional Land-Use Inventory Sites designated by the North Slope
Borough. Reported locations of these sites are vague, boundaries are

not defined, and the presence or absence of physical remains is often
unknown. This lack of information makes it difficult to develop reasonable
management decisions regarding these sites. A portion of the field work
was conducted to assess the extent to which archaeology could help fill


OPEN FILE REPORTS

The category of “Open File Report” is used by BLM-Alaska to identify
the results of inventories or other investigations that are made
available to the public outside the formal BLM-Alaska technical
publication series. These reports include preliminary or incomplete
data that are not published and distributed in quantity but that are
available for public inspection at BLM offices in Alaska, the USDI
Resources Library in Anchorage, and the various libraries of the
University of Alaska.

Copies of open file reports are also available for inspection at the
USDI Natural Resources Library in Washington, D.C. and the BLM Denver
Service Center library.

Howard L. Smith is an archeologist with the Northwest Resource Area of
the Bureau of Land Management's Fairbanks District.


The site consists of several small scatters of blue, gray and black
chert, with the densest concentration of materials near the northern and
lower end of the ridge. The site is located approximately 30 meters
above and about 250 meters away from Cobblestone Creek. No complete or
fragmentary artifacts were observed.

Vegetation on the site includes dwarf birch, lichens, Dryas and occasional
knik-knik and willows.

Site Number: XCL-017
Location: T. 10 S., R. 5 E., Sec. 11
Map Reference: Chandler Lake 1:250,000

Description: This site is a lithic scatter located just to the west of
the Kanayut River, on a small isolated kame that rises about six meters
above the surrounding tundra. This kame is situated just to the south
of Table Top and about 200 meters south of a small creek tributary to
the Kanayut River.

The site consists of a small scatter of gray chert flakes and one biface
fragment possibly suggestive of Choris-Norton-Ipiutak affiliations. The
site covers an area of only about 1.5 by 1.0 meters.

Vegetation on the site includes willow, knik~knik, lichens and grasses.

Site Number: XCL-018
Location: T. 11 S., R. 1 W., Sec. 11
Map Reference: Chandler Lake 1:250,000

Description: This site is a tent ring site located atop the high bluffs
at the confluence of the Siksikpuk River and Confusion Creek. A single
oval tent ring is located about 100 meters south of the bluffs, along
the western edge overlooking the Siksikpuk. This tent ring measures 4.2
by 3.5 meters and is constructed of 22 separate stones. There appears
to be a small alcove of some sort in the center of the eastern side of
the ring.

Several suggestive rock alignments occur in an area about 70 meters

north of the tent ring where flakes of blue, gray and black chert were
also observed. Two crude chert bifaces, a bone awl, a piece of hollow
cut bone, and a 30-35 cm. diameter metal pan were also located in this

13


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alexander, Herbert L.

1967
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Alaskan Survey. Expedition 9(3):20-29.

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Bacon, Glenn H.

1971

Campbell,
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John M.

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Ancient Alaska and Paleolithic Europe. Anthropological
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14(1):33-42.

Cook, John P. (Ed.)

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Pipeline Archeology. University of Alaska Institue of Arctic
Biology, Fairbanks.

Corbin, James E.

1971

Aniganigurak (S-67): A Contact Period Nanamiut Eskimo Village
in the Brooks Range. In Final Report of the

Archaeological Survey and Excavations along the Alyeska
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Department of Anthropology, University of Alaska.

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