ARCHEOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF ALASKA — SOLECKI 



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tory antedates history, it remains for the archeologist to reconstruct 

 the ecological ties of past cultures. 



Wissler (1924, p. 312) viewed the human ecological problem as the 

 correlation of "the facts of nature with the facts concerning man's 

 behavior." As one of his classic examples, he pointed out (ibid., 

 p. 314) that primitive hunting cultures are found to be based upon 

 some natural resource, such as that of the Plains-dwelling Indians 

 upon the bison of North America. Bison provided the chief food 

 and was the source of skin clothing and of shelter. The correlation 



FiGTjRE 1.— Map of Alaska. 



of natural and cultural areas has its limitations, which can be strained 

 too far when trying to explain man's behavior. However, we cannot 

 dismiss entirely the part environment plays in man's life (Hawley, 

 1950, pp. 84,90). 



If we treat human ecology as part and parcel of the broader and 

 more inclusive study of animal ecology, several interesting considera- 

 tions are brought to light. Elton (1949, p. 920) posits that it is 

 necessary to study the whole animal community in a locale in order 

 to get a total picture. "It would therefore seem likely that intensive 

 work, carried out completely on very simple coimnunities such as 



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