Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)

Geoarchaeological Context of the Mid-Holocene Human Occupation at the Frank Slaven Roadhouse Site, Yukon-Charley Rivers national Preserve, Alaska

Project ID: P14AC00787

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: Central Washington University

Fiscal Year: 2014

Initial Funding: $14,965

Total Funding: $14,965

Project Type: Research

Project Disciplines: Interdisciplinary

National Park: Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve

Principal Investigator: Buvit, Ian

Agreement Technical Representative: Rasic, Jeffrey

Abstract: The objective of this Task Agreement, between Central Washington University (CWU) and the National Park Service (NPS), Is to provide new data on subsistence responses to mid-Holocene environments along the middle stretches of the Yukon River. For this, a team of NPS and CWU archaeologists will document the late QuateMary geological history and geomorphic setting ofthe Frank Slaven Roadhouse site (CHR-00030) (Slaven’s hereafter). These efforts are also expected to expand the prehistoric inventory from the site, and more generally, to further our understanding of human adaptive responses to middle-Holocene environments in the upper Yukon River basin. This project additionally provides training and educational development of two CWU undergraduate students in geoarchaeological field and laboratory protocol. Research activities will include field work at Slaven’s and laboratory analysis of soil and sediment samples collected from representative profiles at CWU in Ellensburg, WA. Results will be documented in a technical report and peer-reviewed scientitic journal article developed in collaboration with the students, CWU faculty, and NPS archaeologists. Dissemination of results will also include a presentation at a professional conference, and a public talk at the CWU campus.

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