Anthropology of Southeastern Alaska— Laughlin 75 



for example, found what he believed to be a close resemblance 

 between the pre-Aleuts, now termed Paleo-Aleuts, and the 

 Sioux Indians, and suggested a possible relationship. Again, 

 in his study of the pre-Koniags he made comparisons between 

 them and a pooled series of western and eastern Eskimos, cor- 

 responding naturally to no particular population, with the in- 

 evitable result that he missed their closest relationship and pos- 

 tulated an Indian relationship. Future work should show that 

 the possibilities for the study of micro-evolution are excep- 

 tionally good in this area. There are few places in the world 

 where a 4,000 year span of continuous occupation combines 

 with the excellent preservation of large numbers of skeletons to 

 present the raw data necessary for the detection of internal 

 changes proceeding within a population. In brief, it is quite 

 possible that the round headed Eskimos of southern Alaska 

 arose in this area and expanded in numbers to the point where 

 they dominated the earlier and more widespread long headed 

 population. 



To account for the presence of two distinguishable popula- 

 tions arising out of the primary population it is first necessary 

 to recognize the variability or polymorphy of the early Proto 

 Aleut-Eskimos who entered southern Alaska. Secondly, it is 

 necessary to recognize the fact that it is possible for a change 

 or genetic difference to become established in a breeding isolate 

 by means of genetic drift, the chance loss or fixation of genes. 

 Thirdly, it is thus possible for one isolated subdivision of the 

 larger population to become brachycephalic solely by means of 

 genetic drift. Then, given ecological factors which favor the 

 relative enlargement of this particular isolate over its neigh- 

 boring relatives, it is enabled to expand into the area of these 

 other related peoples where it will supersede or mix with and 

 obliterate the physical traits characteristic of these neighboring 

 relatives. 



In summary it may be useful to consider the possible occur- 

 rence of something approaching a population explosion in this 

 area to understand the high population density. The early 

 peoples coming into this naturally rich area were able to build 



