Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Legacy of the Gulkana Site: Collaborative Digital Archaeology and Northern Dene Technology

The Gulkana archaeological site (GUL-077) presents early and significant evidence for metalworking innovation in the Subarctic. Nearly one third of all pre-contact copper artifacts recovered from the Alaska-Yukon region were found at GUL-077. The site is therefore important to archaeological understanding of Northern Dene technological adaptation as well as the origins and development of metalworking in North America more generally.

The Gulkana site is also meaningful to the Ahtna, who are descended from the site’s inhabitants. By applying digital techniques and collaborating with Ahtna communities to interpret the site, this project will advance knowledge of Indigenous metalworking in Alaska and make legacy records of previous research on Northern Dene technological innovation more accessible to archaeologists, Ahtna people, and the broader public.

The objectives of this research are to: understand copper technologies at the Gulkana site; conduct spatial analysis of the site using a behavioral framework; and work collaboratively with Ahtna communities and organizations to interpret site materials and manage resulting data. Phase 1 of the project involves digitization of the excavation records associated with the site and creation of a site map; these activities will provide opportunities for community engagement through internships and annual youth camps.

Phase 2 employs spatial analysis to identify activity areas to understand distribution of copper and other artifact types within the site. Findings will be collaboratively interpreted to advance understanding of Northern Dene technology. Broader impacts include training and experiential learning for middle-grade youth and enhanced local engagement with the Ahtna past through outreach activities. Results will be disseminated through a dissertation and a collaborative conference presentation.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.