East-central Alaska Archaeology of the uppermost tanana basin: Results of a survey of the Nabesna and Chisana Rivers

Alaska Anthropological Association. All rights reserved. The middle Tanana River basin has proven to be an important area for investigating the late Pleistocene and Holocene occupations of interior Alaska; however, less research has been reported for the uppermost part of the valley. In 2011, we conducted a reconnaissance cultural-resource survey of landforms along two upper Tanana River tributaries, the Nabesna and Chisana rivers, and nearby uplands surrounding Jatahmund Lake to evaluate the archaeological potential of these areas. Here we report the discovery of eight archaeological sites potentially spanning the last ~7000 years of prehistory. We consider these sites in the context of Holocene human occupation of interior Alaska, especially (1) cultural chronology and (2) the effects of tephra falls on human populations during the middle and late Holocene. Our results also demonstrate the potential for finding late Pleistocene sites, which could eventually provide a record complementary to the middle Tanana Valley

Archaeology of the uppermost tanana basin: Results of a survey of the Nabesna and Chisana Rivers, East-central Alaska Academic Article