ANALYSIS OF FAUNAL REMAINS FROM OLD TOWN, 

 KNIGHT ISLAND 



By J. Arthur Freed and Kenneth S. Lane 



All immodified faunal remains were recovered whenever possible 

 during the excavations on Knight Island. A type collection of 

 mammal bones was made during the first excavation season. This 

 facilitated field identification of all but unusually difficult speci- 

 mens which were studied in Berkeley. This was carried out by 

 J. A. Freed during 1952 and by K. S. Lane in 1953. F. A. Riddell 

 identified molluscan material with the aid of a type collection taken 

 to Yakutat. Fishbone was generally in poor condition and not 

 recoverable. For this reason the collections give no indication 

 of the important role of fish in the native diet. Bird remains were 

 c^uite uncommon at the site, and those found could not be identified. 



Complete listings of the mammalian and molluscan remains from 

 Old Town are given in the tables at the end of this section. Fre- 

 quencies of unmodified animal bones and depth information about 

 bones and shells are derived from certain test areas in each mound, 

 although material from all the excavated areas was examined. The 

 special test areas were as follows: Squares 30-27 and 30-28 in Mound 

 A, Squares 41-58 to 48-58 in Mound B, Squares 32-83 and 33-83 

 to 33-86 in Moimd C, and Square 27-92 in Mound D. Except in a 

 few cases noted in the tables, vertebrae, ribs, podials, and phalanges 

 were not included in the count, because it was felt that any errors 

 resulting from this deliberate omission would be insignificant and 

 because this technique permitted the handling of more material 

 than would have been possible otherwise. Generic names are used 

 when feasible. Broader terminology, such as "rodentia," "whale," 

 and "porpoise," is employed when more exact identification cannot 

 be made. 



By far the most important single mammal for the inhabitants 

 of Old Town was the hair or harl^ior seal (Phoca richardii) represented 

 by a total of 779 bones from the test areas that perhaps came from 

 73 to 81 individual anijnals. The seal is still very common in the 

 waters around Knight Island, and it will be remembered that after 

 the abandonment of the site as a permanent town it was still used as 

 a camp by seal hunters. 



Next in importance was the porpoise, as is indicated by 128 bones 

 from the test areas, probably representing 19 to 23 individuals. 



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