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Prehistory of Alaska

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454: 852: 992: 998: 804: 35: 445:" or "bidarkas" by the Russians. These were the model for modern fiberglass kayaks in use today, and are the smallest ocean-going craft made by humans, capable of long journeys in some of the most dangerous seas. Three-person baidarkas were developed at the behest of the Russians, who wanted to ride as passengers in the center; these "three-hole" baidarkas were then adapted for Aleut use in long-distance travel and trade. 366:
to mark a death and celebrate a child's first successful hunt, as a prelude to marriage. Those who aspired to leadership were expected to host memorable potlatches, at which the would-be leader would give away all his possessions then prove his prowess by providing for himself and his family for an
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ceremony in which he would give away, destroy, or invite guests to consume all of his food and possessions. This was referred to as "paying off" the guests who had performed ritual services or provided support in the past. Those who received goods at one potlatch would typically reciprocate by
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in western Alaska, although many of them initially settled in interior Canada. While there may have been migrations across this land bridge, there is also evidence from recent research that supports the arrival by sea to Alaska's southeastern coast 17,000 years ago. The
263:—otherwise, the fish would reincarnate with deformities and refuse to return to that river. Coastal Native American society featured a complex system of property ownership with a mix of private and group property. Each 282:
The mild climate and plentiful resources of the Panhandle allowed the Coastal Native Americans leisure time to devote to social pastimes, travel and trade. They enjoyed complex art, music, and storytelling, and their
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emigrated during the territorial period from a town near Prince Rupert in British Columbia. The Tlingit were known to travel for more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) south to trade with Native peoples in the
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inviting their former hosts to their own potlatch at a later date; such invitations would confirm their relative levels of prestige and status. Other important features of the potlatch were the recitation of
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settled in the west. To combat the cold, seasonal food was stored against future shortage, in particular against the privations of each winter. A hunter always divided a fresh kill evenly amongst the
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in formalized patterns of black, red, and other bold colors. They decorated their craft goods, domestic utensils, clothing, masks, canoes, and ritual objects to signify ownership. The world-renowned
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of the region. Endurance and physical strength were prized, and game was often run down on foot. Athabascans harvested salmon and hunted rabbits, caribou, and bear with the help of snares, clubs,
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In the social organization of the Tlingit and Haida, status and prestige were negotiated through wealth. To maintain position, a man of high rank demonstrated wealth by holding a
742: 716:. Anchorage, Alaska: Government Printing Office for Alaska System Support Office, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. pp. 43–62, 107: 940: 784: 267:
owned tools, objects, and food that they had produced themselves, while the clan owned names, land, stories, buildings, and most other property.
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having only small slits to look through to protect their eyes from the glare of snow and ice were carved out of wood or ivory. Replicas of the
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were common. Because they were seminomadic and hunted on foot, footwear was very important, and the Athabascans designed light and flexible
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techniques, capable of weaving grasses into watertight baskets and sewing seal gut into watertight raincoats suitable for the open ocean.
533:, dogs were used as pack animals. Women were skilled in basketry and sewing. They stitched and fitted waterproof garments made of animal 375:
The Aleuts settled the islands of the Aleutian chain approximately 10,000 years ago. Although their location allowed them easy access to
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Aleut society was divided into three categories: honorables, comprising the respected whalers and elders; common people; and
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kept an accurate account of genealogy and clan history. The painted designs developed by the Coastal tribes featured fish,
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were carved at great expense to illustrate myths, to honor the deceased, and to imply the enormous wealth of the owners.
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and animals gave themselves willingly to humans, and strove to honor the animals' sacrifice. They also believed that the
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along the beaches at low tide, and berries and other plants in the hills. Aleut women are still today famed for their
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Ublasaun - First Light: Inupiaq Hunters and Herders in the Early Twentieth Century, Northern Seward Peninsula, Alaska
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made of birch and rawhide. The Athabascans used birch bark from the interior forests to make canoes, containers,
93: 770: 606: 220: 545:, and coats was sewn from skins and fur, sometimes in complex geometric designs. The coats, which were called 958: 1008: 965: 953: 166:
Today, early Alaskans are divided into several main groups: the Southeastern Coastal Native Americans (the
139:; a date less than 20,000 years ago is most likely. They found their passage blocked by a huge sheet of 1066: 1035: 970: 80: 913: 240:. There was no standard currency of trade, but slaves, native copper materials, and blankets made of 311:'s interior were hunters and inland fishermen. Most lived in small nomadic bands along the numerous 866: 478:, the Native group most familiar to non-Alaskans, were originally divided into two subgroups: the 898: 163:
groups. Trade with both Asia and southern tribes was active even before the advent of Europeans.
945: 930: 903: 841: 743:"New map of Alaska's ancient coast supports theory that America's first people arrived by boat" 694: 661:
Cooper, H. Kory; Mason, Owen K.; Mair, Victor; Hoffecker, John F.; Speakman, Robert J. (2016).
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Schaaf, Jeanne (1996). "Before Our Fathers Time". In Schaaf, Jeanne; Smith, Thetus H. (eds.).
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and bloodlines, transfer of ceremonial titles and possessions, and offerings to ancestors.
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The Coastal Native Americans were probably the first wave of immigrants to cross the
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frame, covered with tightly sewn seal skins. Sleds and dog teams were used for
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should be returned to the river in which it had been caught—to allow for
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were the most numerous of this group, populating most of the coastal
195: 175: 997: 762: 592:(women's knives) can be found in most Alaskan tourist shops today. 571: 538: 442: 416: 396: 347: 271: 207: 697:. ARCUS (Arctic Research Consortium of the United States). 2013. 583: 559: 498:
and whales, while the inland Eskimos lived on a diet of caribou,
475: 384: 376: 359: 339:, and cradles. Clothing was made of animal hides, decorated with 187: 148: 434:, and slaves were occasionally killed in honor of the deceased. 575: 563: 530: 526: 518: 495: 483: 438: 427: 420: 404: 328: 288: 256: 152: 136: 554:
Eskimos were known for their carvings, especially their small
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by the time of European contact. The southern portion of
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and summer fishing camps. Most bands consisted of a few
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sometime between 40,000 and 15,000 years ago across the
502:, and other small game animals. These people gathered 151:) opened up an ice-free corridor through northwestern 537:and fish skins. The Eskimos' everyday clothing of 407:were usually killed with a poisoned, stone-bladed 346:Some Athabascan groups inhabited permanent winter 387:. Aleut fishing technology included fish spears, 1053: 244:bark, and dog and goat-hair were highly valued. 941:Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 558:pieces. In early times, household utensils and 711: 411:. The job of women and children was to gather 302: 1036: 778: 101: 570:, and fossil mammoth tusks, Eskimos crafted 247:The Coastal Native Americans believed that 201: 1043: 1029: 785: 771: 108: 94: 678: 430:. At death, the body of an honorable was 452: 354:and had limited internal organization. 1054: 792: 766: 309:Athabascan Native Americans of Alaska 985: 740: 612:Models of migration to the New World 936:Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act 701:from the original on 13 April 2013. 562:were ornamented. Using wood, bone, 143:until a temporary recession in the 13: 391:, nets, hooks, and lines. Various 367:entire year without outside help. 362:or hunters. Athabascans also gave 343:quills colored with natural dyes. 14: 1088: 1062:Native American history of Alaska 667:Journal of Archaeological Science 582:, small sculptures, game pieces. 996: 990: 850: 827:Department of Alaska (1867–1884) 802: 441:used by the Aleuts were called " 127:people moving into northwestern 33: 1072:Pre-statehood history of Alaska 837:Territory of Alaska (1912–1959) 513:Eskimos used open boats called 832:District of Alaska (1884–1912) 734: 705: 687: 654: 629: 607:Indigenous Amerindian genetics 1: 1007:This article relating to the 842:Recent history (1959–present) 622: 466: 437:The one- and two-person skin 1015:. You can help Knowledge by 1009:history of the United States 482:Eskimos settled in Alaska's 7: 1077:United States history stubs 822:Russian America (1733–1867) 741:Wade, Lizzie (2018-05-30). 595: 303:Athabascan Native Americans 10: 1093: 984: 448: 914:Aleutian Islands campaign 859: 848: 809: 800: 680:10.1016/j.jas.2016.04.021 370: 867:Russian-American Company 202:Coastal Native Americans 899:Alaska boundary dispute 529:travel, and during the 21:Part of a series on the 904:1925 serum run to Nome 472: 221:Prince of Wales Island 456: 966:History of Fairbanks 954:History of Anchorage 926:Alaska Statehood Act 399:were used to obtain 186:, the two groups of 145:Wisconsin glaciation 57:Department of Alaska 293:legendary creatures 223:was settled by the 69:Territory of Alaska 810:Timeline of Alaska 517:, and the smaller 473: 208:Bering land bridge 133:Bering Land Bridge 121:Prehistoric Alaska 63:District of Alaska 1067:Pre-Columbian era 1024: 1023: 979: 978: 860:Topics and events 794:History of Alaska 727:978-0-941555-02-9 602:Ancient Beringian 238:Pacific Northwest 159:and a variety of 118: 117: 27:History of Alaska 1084: 1045: 1038: 1031: 1002: 1001: 1000: 994: 986: 854: 853: 806: 805: 787: 780: 773: 764: 763: 757: 756: 754: 753: 738: 732: 731: 709: 703: 702: 691: 685: 684: 682: 658: 652: 651: 649: 648: 639:. Archived from 633: 486:region, and the 471: 468: 403:and sea otters. 358:was acquired by 352:nuclear families 277:family histories 227:emigrating from 110: 103: 96: 37: 36: 18: 17: 1092: 1091: 1087: 1086: 1085: 1083: 1082: 1081: 1052: 1051: 1050: 1049: 995: 989: 982: 980: 975: 931:1964 earthquake 872:Alaska Purchase 855: 851: 846: 807: 803: 796: 791: 761: 760: 751: 749: 739: 735: 728: 710: 706: 693: 692: 688: 659: 655: 646: 644: 635: 634: 630: 625: 598: 469: 451: 373: 305: 231:in Canada. The 204: 161:Native American 114: 85: 75:State of Alaska 51:Russian America 34: 12: 11: 5: 1090: 1080: 1079: 1074: 1069: 1064: 1048: 1047: 1040: 1033: 1025: 1022: 1021: 1004: 977: 976: 974: 973: 968: 963: 962: 961: 951: 943: 938: 933: 928: 923: 922: 921: 916: 906: 901: 896: 895: 894: 889: 884: 874: 869: 863: 861: 857: 856: 849: 847: 845: 844: 839: 834: 829: 824: 819: 813: 811: 808: 801: 798: 797: 790: 789: 782: 775: 767: 759: 758: 747:Science | AAAS 733: 726: 704: 686: 653: 627: 626: 624: 621: 620: 619: 614: 609: 604: 597: 594: 450: 447: 372: 369: 304: 301: 255:of a consumed 203: 200: 116: 115: 113: 112: 105: 98: 90: 87: 86: 84: 83: 78: 77:(1959–present) 72: 66: 60: 54: 48: 42: 39: 38: 30: 29: 23: 22: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1089: 1078: 1075: 1073: 1070: 1068: 1065: 1063: 1060: 1059: 1057: 1046: 1041: 1039: 1034: 1032: 1027: 1026: 1020: 1018: 1014: 1010: 1005: 999: 993: 988: 987: 983: 972: 969: 967: 964: 960: 957: 956: 955: 952: 950: 948: 944: 942: 939: 937: 934: 932: 929: 927: 924: 920: 917: 915: 912: 911: 910: 907: 905: 902: 900: 897: 893: 890: 888: 885: 883: 880: 879: 878: 877:Gold Rush era 875: 873: 870: 868: 865: 864: 862: 858: 843: 840: 838: 835: 833: 830: 828: 825: 823: 820: 818: 815: 814: 812: 799: 795: 788: 783: 781: 776: 774: 769: 768: 765: 748: 744: 737: 729: 723: 719: 715: 708: 700: 696: 690: 681: 676: 672: 668: 664: 657: 643:on 2015-04-25 642: 638: 632: 628: 618: 617:Paleo-Indians 615: 613: 610: 608: 605: 603: 600: 599: 593: 591: 590: 585: 581: 577: 573: 569: 565: 561: 557: 552: 550: 549: 544: 540: 536: 532: 528: 524: 520: 516: 511: 509: 505: 501: 497: 493: 489: 485: 481: 477: 464: 460: 455: 446: 444: 440: 435: 433: 429: 424: 422: 418: 414: 410: 406: 402: 398: 394: 390: 386: 382: 378: 368: 365: 361: 357: 353: 349: 344: 342: 338: 334: 330: 327:. Periods of 326: 322: 318: 314: 310: 300: 298: 294: 290: 286: 280: 278: 273: 268: 266: 262: 261:reincarnation 258: 254: 250: 245: 243: 239: 234: 230: 226: 222: 218: 214: 209: 199: 197: 193: 189: 185: 181: 177: 173: 169: 164: 162: 158: 154: 150: 146: 142: 138: 134: 130: 129:North America 126: 122: 111: 106: 104: 99: 97: 92: 91: 89: 88: 82: 79: 76: 73: 70: 67: 64: 61: 58: 55: 52: 49: 47: 44: 43: 41: 40: 32: 31: 28: 25: 24: 20: 19: 16: 1017:expanding it 1006: 1003:   981: 971:Other topics 947:Exxon Valdez 946: 919:Project Hula 909:World War II 816: 750:. Retrieved 746: 736: 713: 707: 689: 670: 666: 656: 645:. Retrieved 641:the original 631: 587: 553: 546: 514: 512: 474: 463:Nome, Alaska 436: 425: 395:, nets, and 374: 345: 306: 281: 269: 246: 205: 165: 123:begins with 120: 119: 81:Other topics 45: 15: 673:: 176–183. 584:Snowgoggles 470: 1907 381:earthquakes 297:totem poles 229:Haida Gwaii 180:Athabascans 135:in western 125:Paleolithic 71:(1912–1959) 65:(1884–1912) 59:(1867–1884) 53:(1733–1867) 1056:Categories 817:Prehistory 752:2019-02-03 647:2014-05-10 623:References 364:potlatches 356:Leadership 285:traditions 147:(the last 46:Prehistory 949:oil spill 892:Fairbanks 580:oil lamps 566:, walrus 535:intestine 523:driftwood 492:community 443:baidarkas 432:mummified 413:shellfish 401:sea lions 341:porcupine 333:snowshoes 265:household 242:red cedar 233:Tsimshian 217:Panhandle 176:Tsimshian 959:timeline 882:Klondike 699:Archived 596:See also 539:trousers 496:walruses 417:basketry 397:harpoons 385:volcanos 360:warriors 348:villages 272:potlatch 718:page 47 560:weapons 508:berries 480:Inupiat 476:Eskimos 461:woman, 459:Inupiat 449:Eskimos 377:fishing 289:animals 213:Tlingit 192:Inupiat 188:Eskimos 178:), the 168:Tlingit 149:ice age 724:  576:knives 572:dishes 564:baleen 548:parkas 531:summer 527:winter 519:kayaks 515:umiaks 488:Yup'ik 484:Arctic 439:kayaks 428:slaves 421:sewing 405:Whales 383:, and 371:Aleuts 329:famine 325:arrows 319:, and 317:spears 313:rivers 291:, and 257:salmon 225:Haidas 196:Yup'ik 190:, and 182:, the 174:, and 153:Canada 137:Alaska 1011:is a 568:ivory 556:ivory 543:boots 500:birds 409:lance 393:darts 389:weirs 337:sleds 253:bones 184:Aleut 172:Haida 157:Inuit 1013:stub 887:Nome 722:ISBN 504:eggs 419:and 323:and 321:bows 307:The 249:fish 194:and 675:doi 589:ulu 457:An 141:ice 1058:: 745:. 720:. 671:74 669:. 665:. 578:, 574:, 541:, 506:, 467:c. 465:, 198:. 170:, 1044:e 1037:t 1030:v 1019:. 786:e 779:t 772:v 755:. 730:. 683:. 677:: 650:. 109:e 102:t 95:v

Index

History of Alaska
Prehistory
Russian America
Department of Alaska
District of Alaska
Territory of Alaska
State of Alaska
Other topics
v
t
e
Paleolithic
North America
Bering Land Bridge
Alaska
ice
Wisconsin glaciation
ice age
Canada
Inuit
Native American
Tlingit
Haida
Tsimshian
Athabascans
Aleut
Eskimos
Inupiat
Yup'ik
Bering land bridge

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