JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A fragment of a mask that was preserved for hundreds of years in permafrost sat in the muck of a low tide in the western Alaska community of Quinhagak. Wooden spoons, toys, a fishing lure, and other artifacts were strewn, in some cases for miles, along the beach.
The Yup’ik community, near the edge of the Bering Sea, was spared the widespread devastation wrought by the remnants of Typhoon Halong on its neighbors further west earlier this month. But it suffered a different kind of blow: The lashing winds and storm surge devoured dozens of feet of shoreline, disrupting a culturally significant archaeological site and washing away possibly thousands of unearthed artifacts.
About 1,000 pieces, including wooden masks and tools, were recovered in Quinhagak after the storm ravaged parts of southwest Alaska on Oct. 11 and 12. However, many more pieces — perhaps up to 100,000 — were left scattered, according to Rick Knecht, an archaeologist who has worked on the Nunalleq, or old village, project for 17 years. That’s roughly the number of pieces previously recovered from the archaeological site.
Meanwhile, freezing temperatures and ice have settled into the region, stalling immediate efforts to find and recover more displaced artifacts on searches conducted by four-wheeler and foot.
Knecht called what happened a major loss. The site has yielded the world’s largest collection of pre-contact Yup’ik artifacts. Much of what’s known about Yup’ik life before outsiders arrived stems from the project, he said, explaining, “When there are holes or disturbances in the site, it’s like trying to read a book with holes in the pages. You’re going to miss a few things.”
While the name of the original village isn’t known, its historical significance is immense; it was attacked by another village and burned around 1650. Knecht has worked with elders and others in Quinhagak to combine their traditional knowledge with archaeological methods to study the past collaboratively.
Quinhagak, with about 800 residents, relies on subsistence food gathering, making the storm’s impact even more pressing. The loss of artifacts is a threat not just to history but to the community's cultural identity.
Knecht further noted that climate change represents an ongoing threat to the site due to melting permafrost, coastal erosion, and the potential for more frequent storms. Erosion jeopardizes vital infrastructure in Quinhagak, including sewage lagoons and residential buildings.
The Nunalleq excavation project began after artifacts began appearing on the beach around 2007. When Knecht left the site in July, a 30-foot buffer from the sea protected the archaeological site, which has now been reduced by the storm.
The process to preserve the rescued artifacts has been meticulous; it involves soaking the wood to remove marine salts and treating it with special chemicals to prevent damage during drying. Failure to do so can lead to artifacts deteriorating quickly upon exposure to air.
Plans to conduct a “rescue excavation” are underway for the spring, as Knecht reflects on the urgency of preserving culture as the community faces increasing environmental challenges.
The Yup’ik community, near the edge of the Bering Sea, was spared the widespread devastation wrought by the remnants of Typhoon Halong on its neighbors further west earlier this month. But it suffered a different kind of blow: The lashing winds and storm surge devoured dozens of feet of shoreline, disrupting a culturally significant archaeological site and washing away possibly thousands of unearthed artifacts.
About 1,000 pieces, including wooden masks and tools, were recovered in Quinhagak after the storm ravaged parts of southwest Alaska on Oct. 11 and 12. However, many more pieces — perhaps up to 100,000 — were left scattered, according to Rick Knecht, an archaeologist who has worked on the Nunalleq, or old village, project for 17 years. That’s roughly the number of pieces previously recovered from the archaeological site.
Meanwhile, freezing temperatures and ice have settled into the region, stalling immediate efforts to find and recover more displaced artifacts on searches conducted by four-wheeler and foot.
Knecht called what happened a major loss. The site has yielded the world’s largest collection of pre-contact Yup’ik artifacts. Much of what’s known about Yup’ik life before outsiders arrived stems from the project, he said, explaining, “When there are holes or disturbances in the site, it’s like trying to read a book with holes in the pages. You’re going to miss a few things.”
While the name of the original village isn’t known, its historical significance is immense; it was attacked by another village and burned around 1650. Knecht has worked with elders and others in Quinhagak to combine their traditional knowledge with archaeological methods to study the past collaboratively.
Quinhagak, with about 800 residents, relies on subsistence food gathering, making the storm’s impact even more pressing. The loss of artifacts is a threat not just to history but to the community's cultural identity.
Knecht further noted that climate change represents an ongoing threat to the site due to melting permafrost, coastal erosion, and the potential for more frequent storms. Erosion jeopardizes vital infrastructure in Quinhagak, including sewage lagoons and residential buildings.
The Nunalleq excavation project began after artifacts began appearing on the beach around 2007. When Knecht left the site in July, a 30-foot buffer from the sea protected the archaeological site, which has now been reduced by the storm.
The process to preserve the rescued artifacts has been meticulous; it involves soaking the wood to remove marine salts and treating it with special chemicals to prevent damage during drying. Failure to do so can lead to artifacts deteriorating quickly upon exposure to air.
Plans to conduct a “rescue excavation” are underway for the spring, as Knecht reflects on the urgency of preserving culture as the community faces increasing environmental challenges.
