Where Aviation Meets Archaeology
By: Federal Aviation Administration
Tags: News, History, Native American Culture, World War II, Archaeology

Gaines instructed the team on how to respond with cultural sensitivity when a site is uncovered. “You’ve got to make this stuff visual,” he explained. He presented photos of the types of artifacts that might be uncovered, and he provided a history of Caton Island from prehistoric times to the present.

He also emphasized the criticality of diligence and attentiveness. “You have to hammer in the regulatory response,” he said, noting that there are state and tribal laws that must be followed, not just federal. “This isn’t a joke. If there’s a mistake, you can be held civilly or criminally responsible.”

He briefed the team on common indicators of prehistoric sites, such as earthen cache pits or depressions, fire-affected rock, or flaked stone tools. Historic site indicators include wood, brick or concrete pieces that might indicate a buried structural foundation, ceramics, and food and drink containers.

Archeologists had mapped out possible locations for archaeological sites using old maps. “We started consulting with state preservation offices, the Pauloff Harbor Tribe, who are descendants of the Aleuts who inhabited the island, and Fish and Wildlife Service nine to 10 months in advance,” explained Gaines. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also had done site surveys for the cleanup.

Gaines lauded the FAA’s commitment to protecting what Native Alaskans consider sacred grounds. “There have been cases where archeology has been damaged” because proper preparation and consultations had not been made prior to a project, he said.

The FAA benefits, as well, by avoiding unnecessary delays because the groundwork hadn’t been properly layed. “Caton easily could have been a budget buster and a time buster,” but because the FAA prepared from the start, there were no issues, said Gaines.

After consultations with the Pauloff Harbor Tribe — the federally recognized tribe affiliated with the descendants of the Sanak Archipelago Aleuts that claimed the remains — the Aleut’s body was carefully reburied in a ceremony.

“When we did rebury him, I had a strong emotional response,” recalled Wetmore. “Everything was done very respectfully. [Gaines] performed a nice ceremony.” As he returned these remains to rest, Gaines apologized to the man for any disturbance they had caused.

The contractor crew overseen by Aemon Wetmore. Photo: FAA

“It’s been a tremendous learning experience,” said Wetmore. “We set up our camp in a location very near the house pits [where] ancient people had been living. Just being out there experiencing the weather and the conditions — we weren’t living like them, but we were experiencing a lot of the same conditions they were experiencing.”

On a clear day, said Wetmore, he and his team could journey to Caton’s cliffs and watch whales and seals swimming and imagine that these were some of the same sights that humans were seeing 3,000 years ago. “And then find some of the artifacts they were using gives you a lot closer feeling of how they lived. It’s pretty unique and a very cool experience,” he added.

“What’s really neat is when I’m out there with a crew and we’re sitting there talking about these things,” said Gaines. “A lot of those guys really got into it. It’s a glimpse into a time that is gone, really. To be there camping out in the same spot, then you become part of the story. It’s fantastic. It’s like a hand reaching out across the ages.”