de Laguna] ARCHEOLOGY, YAKUTAT BAY AREA, ALASKA 205 



In general, during the past two millennia, the glaciers in the Pacific 

 Northwest have been retreating, except for local fluctuations, for 

 example, an advance cuhninating between A.D. 600 and 920 in Icy- 

 Bay and between A.D. 970 and 1290 in Yakutat Bay (Plafker 

 and Miller, 1958). The earlier "little ice age" and this (and other 

 local) readvance may not have prevented human occupation of all of 

 the northern Northwest Coast and Alaska Gulf Coast regions, yet 

 they may have been severe enough to have discouraged or even pre- 

 vented travel and hence cultural exchanges along this part of the 

 coastline. Furthermore, we cannot be confident that we yet know 

 what parts of that coastline or what present foreshores were above 

 sea level in critical periods in the past, although raised beaches in the 

 GuK of Alaska and in southeastern Alaska attest to uplift in both 

 geologically and historically recent times. 



In any event, there are no archeological remains known at present 

 which suggest habitation in the Yakutat area before the glacial 

 advance between A.D. 970 and 1290 in Yakutat Bay. These dates 

 are based on radiocarbon analyses of wood from an end moraine near 

 Ocean Cape. Occupation may well have begun, however, some time 

 dm-ing the 15th or 16th century, when the ice had retreated. 



According to recent studies made by the U.S. Forest Sendee, the forest growing 

 on the outwash apron at the outer margin of the end moraine near Yakutat is a 

 relatively even-aged spruce stand with an average age of nearly 550 years . . . 

 The oldest of 27 spruce trees on which an accurate age count was obtained in 1953 

 was then 553 years old . . . This indicates that recession of the Yakutat Bay 

 lobe began before 1400 A.D., assuming that the outwash apron did not become 

 stabilized and suitable for forest growth until after the recession had begun . . . 

 the spruce forest probably did not become established on the outwash apron near 

 Yakutat for at least 50 years after the tidal ice front began to retreat into Yakutat 

 Bay. [Plafker and Miller, 1958.] 



Knight Island itseK would not have been uncovered until somewhat 

 later, and a permanent village would hardly have been established 

 directly under the end of a huge glacier. During 1953, logging opera- 

 tions were carried out near Redfield Cove, on the east shore of Yakutat 

 Bay, opposite Dolgoi and Kriwoi Islands. Borings from some of the 

 trees cut at that time were examined by Dr. Giddings, who informs 

 us (letter of April 4, 1958) that these trees began to grow in A.D. 1530, 

 1630, and 1660. This information gives us some clue as to when 

 Knight Island might have been occupied. Spruce trees growing in 

 House Pit 7, and thus indicating the abandonment of the oldest part 

 of the site, had circumferences ranging from 5 feet 6 inches to 8 feet; 

 a hemlock had a circumference of 3 feet 10 inches. 



Borings of spruce trees growing in House Pit 7 and in other parts of 

 the site were examined by Dr. Giddings. Unfortunately the blade of 



