TINNE INDIANS OF THE LOWER YUKON RIVER 



A'ALLEY 



Bv HERBERT W. KRIEGER, 



Curator, Diz'isioii of Etiiiiology, U. S. Xalioiial Miiscitiii 



The Yukon River, like all great streams located in remote parts of 

 the world, never fails to excite one's interest and imagination. But 

 little is known of the story of early human migrations that un- 

 douhtedly passed up or down its hroad valley. At the suggestion of 

 Doctor A. Hrdlicka. and under the auspices of the National Acad- 

 emy of Sciences, excavations at certain archeological sites in the 

 lower Yukon River valley were made during 1927. Investigations 

 were carried on so far as conditions permitted at Shageluk, EIolo- 

 gochakat, Anvik. and at Bonasila. an old village site 18 miles below 

 the mouth of the .\nvik River. The high stage of water during May 

 and June did not ])ermit c()m])letion of this work, so that another 

 season might ])rofital)ly lie s])ent in conducting further archeological 

 studies in the valley of the lower Yukon. 



The site at Bonasila yielded skeletal material and cultural objects 

 that indicate the early presence there of widely distinct ethnic groups. 

 A curious contrast was observed in the types of implements re- 

 covered. Crudely fractured implements of schistose and shale rock, 

 some of which had been used as knives, were slightly smoothed and 

 beveled at the cutting edges but were otherwise unworked. There 

 were also uncovered .symmetrical!}' shaped and highly polished neph- 

 rite celts such as are commonly fashioned l)y the Eskimo of northern 

 Alaska. Jadeite adzes, E.skimoan in type, were found along with 

 grooved, single and double bitted stone axes such as are occasionally 

 found at various points along the Yukon, Koyukuk, and Susitna 

 Rivers. Another contrast noted was that of carved objects of fossil 

 ivory and of bone tools and stone weapon points. The ancient fossil 

 ivory culture of north Alaska, of St. Lawrence and the lesser islands 

 of Bering Sea is characterized by implements of fossil walrus ivory 

 with beautifully scrolled and spiral surface etchings entirely distinct 

 from the ty]iical rectilinear and circle and dot etchings of the Eskimo. 

 There are no realistic designs in silhouette etched on ivory as in the 

 hunting and fi.shing delineations of the Eskimo of southwest Alaska. 



