The excavation of Crow Village seemed a logical first step toward a more complete cultural history of Eskimo and Indian life on the middle Kuskokwim River. In . In this area Mr and Mrs Jack Harrop of the Northern Commercial Company at Aniak were particularly helpful in arranging local arrangements for supply and transport.
CONTENTS PAGE
PLATES
TEXT FIGURES
THE ETHNOARCHEOLOGY OF CROW VILLAGE, ALASKA
CROW VILLAGE IN HISTORY
Russian trade goods, they initially showed hostile feelings towards the presence of the Russians along the river. Presumably Crow Village would be in one of the latter categories (Weinland Coll., W. H. Weinland diary entries July.
EXCAVATIONS
The debris material was eroding from the embankment and was the first sector of the site to be tested. It should be added that the debris found in front of the kashgee most likely represents a sample of material that could be found in this structure.
HOUSES
A search along the irregular edge of the ridge overlooking the river led to the discovery of. The aim of the 1963 field season was to excavate the site as best as possible.
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The depth of the tunnel floor was essentially at the same level as the floor of the house (H to below the floor, forming a cold trap (H-3). A series of parallel horizontal logs or planks formed the side walls of the tunnel (H or short vertical log with horizontal supports (H-2).
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The H-3's original four-pillar central roof was later replaced by a four-pillar central type version with foui*pillar placement near the front and rear walls. The builders of this house made a shallow excavation for the front of the ground, but dug into the steep slope at the back of the foundation and used the slope as a back wall.
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However, the roof construction was not similar to that of a cabin, but was of a central four-pillar form. It was built into the hillside, and the excavated area was used as part of the back.
22 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY Table 1
Supporting VanStone's conclusion is the statement by Sam Phillips, who lived on the site as a boy, that a cabin once stood at or near this particular location. Other caches probably existed on the site, judging by the number of rotting logs on the ground and the appearance of isolated poles as found in the slight draw between the two segments of the site.
KASHGEE
This cabin must have been removed, as VanStone assumed, but there is no satisfactory explanation for the vertical post if this was indeed the location of the cabin.
MIDDENS
The Kashgee residents carried their garbage farther than the residents of any of the houses and dumped it on the river bank. Along the inside of the birch bark lining, small sticks were driven into the ground to keep the bark from falling into the hole.
COLLECTIONS
LOCALLY MANUFACTURED GOODS
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All type 1 specimens have at least two flat surfaces that show varying degrees of use. All show some wear on at least one surface, and the illustrated specimen shows significant wear on these surfaces (Fig. 1, q).
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This specimen is made of basaltic material and is either round in shape or has acquired its shape as a result of use (Fig. 2, j). Little can be said about the proximal ends of these implements, except that the two basal fragments taper into a flat base (Fig. 2, g, h).
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The other two fragments have complete nock ends similar to the one already described (pi. 3, e). All are of the same type, blunt at one end and tapered wedge-shaped point at the other (pi.4,g).
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The top and bottom pieces of wood are neatly fitted, and in the center of the little is a small hole through which a string would have been placed as a handle (pi. 7, g). Three of these resemble the previous figure, and one has a hole in the middle (pi. 7, h).
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Two other animal carvings are somewhat smaller with an average length of 28 cm, but otherwise do not differ from those previously described, except that they have elongated necks and more clearly defined mouths (pi. 9, a). The complete specimen, roughly made with the features barely indicated, has a small wooden disk projecting from one side of the breast (pi. 9, b).
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One of them is rectangular in shape and cut straight at one end, suggesting a small box whose sides were fastened together. A small stick, carefully worked and bluntly pointed at both ends, is burnt at one end and has a human face rudely carved on one surface (p. 6, e).
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Five has two encircling horizontal lines just below the rim with one row of dots directly below the lines (fig. 10, d). One rim fragment has a single internal ridge running horizontally to and just below the rim. An unusual feature of one of the Yukon Line-Dot-worked rim fragments is the roughly incised transverse lines just below the dots (Fig. 10, b).
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However, at least three fragments have very narrow spaces and small sewing holes suggesting that a cognate material was used, perhaps finely plaited grass (p. 11, c). All these fragments have widely spaced holes for suturing fir roots, and a number of them have fragments of roots still in place (p. 11, e). In any case, it consists of a red band near the row of sewing holes (p. 11, a).
IMPORTED MANUFACTURED GOODS
AU three leather fragments in the collection were obtained from commercially prepared cowhide. Excavations at Crow Village yielded 324 sherds of non-Eskimo pottery, including 2 partially recoverable vessels, an acup and an asaucer. Despite the uniqueness of the vessel, the structure of the fragments themselves is quite different.
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Five mUk glass buttons, all of the standard four-hole shirt button, are in the collection. This fact would tend to place the bottles chronologically where we would expect to find them - in the late 19th century. If this identification is correct, it would be the only indication in the Crow Village collection of use of any kind.
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Of the seven dark green-lined red beads, three belong to type a and four to type b. This was certainly true of examples examined by VanStone in the collection of the Alaska Historical Library and Museum. In the center of the single half-pound sample and on one of the 1-pound tin lids is the name "Royal Baking Powder".
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Although the Eskimos at Crow Village undoubtedly acquired a variety of American clothing, there is little indication of recycled textile materials of the variety of types available to them. Unfortunately, there is nothing diagnostic about the overshoe fragment, but the portion of the man's shoe is more revealing. Although the top of the sole is missing, portions of the upper leather remain where it was glued between the insoles and outsoles.
CONTINUITY AND INNOVATION
Their diversity of quality was probably a function of the different grades of stone needed to grind either stone or metal. This leads to the assumption that the technology of the Russians and Anglo-Americans could not contribute to this complex. An examination of the property list (Appendix 1) illustrates that proportionately more objects of wood were recovered from the T-1 midden than artefacts of any other material.
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It is not the actual numbers or variety of the imported items that is impressive, but rather the. The cans recovered indicate the use of the following food products: meat, fruit, lard, fish, baking powder, syrup or oil. When viewed in the light of the change that has since taken place in the territories, it is possible to appreciate the rapidity with which the Eskimos were drawn.
TIME AND CHANGE
In fact, before excavating the site, the authors predicted that their work would make it possible to reach certain conclusions about the nature of Russian and American trade influences. The only copper bracelet in the collection is, apart from the beads, the object most likely to be considered Russian. However, despite the existence of these apparently Russian artifacts, it is clear that most of the manufactured goods imported from Crow VUlage belong to the American period and were obtained by traders who succeeded those of the Russo-American Company at Kuskokwim.
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We have no comparable statistics available for the latter part of the Russian period, but we would assume that the population increased slowly after the smallpox epidemic. However, the population of this sector of the central Kuskokwim was certainly quite small during its early history. It is Hkely that none of the weapon-related objects in the collection belong to the Russian period.
LIFE AT CROW VILLAGE: A RECONSTRUCTION
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Some men's parkas are winter type with squirrel fur. At the front of the ark is an oval opening, and a low gabled roof covers the structure. Although some of the tools and cooking equipment at home are from local culture, most were taken from traders.
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Some of the finger masks are trimmed with feathers, while others are trimmed with long caribou hair. Special dolls are brought out of their hiding place and their clothing is checked for species scales. Paintings or small wood carvings of the most important species hunted by a man are attached to a board at the top of the coffin.
ARCHEOLOGY AND ETHNOGRAPHY: INTERPRETATIONS
On these the head and shoulders are represented, and the carvings are placed on stakes set in the ground near the grave. Larger objects belonging to the deceased are placed above the burial boxes or stuck in the ground around them.
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Applying the concept of Arctic Forest Culture to a discussion of the Kuskokwim River system where the forest does not reach the sea means recognizing that the concept may not fit in its entirety. It is necessary to comment on the nature of the combination of characteristics that have been used to define Arctic Forest Culture. Because we are cautious about Lantis and question the usefulness of Arctic Forest Culture as a configuration, we are unwilling to put forward a “culture” based on the experience gained from the Kuskokwim.
LITERATURE CITED
The relative stability of physical settlement is a function of the productivity of the environment and is undoubtedly an important characteristic. exchange of forest and river products for marine products. A historical overview of the organization of the Russian-American Society and its activities to date. Wooden artifacts, a, h, fire drill shaft, b, piece of cotton, c, j. BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 199 PLATE 5. Side of bowl, b, Side of bowl with root ties, c, bottom of bowl, line decorated with red paint, cf,/, Sockets. c, f. Section of unilobed paddle, d, medial labret.
APPENDIX
ITEM
LOCATION
INDEX
136 AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
