Collaborative Research: Origins of Aleut Populations: Molecular Perspectives

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Abstract For collaborative research byO'Rourke, University of Utah (9974623)Crawford, University of Kansas (9905090)This collaborative research project, involving scientists from the Universities of Kansas and Utah, and the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, applies archaeological and molecular genetic evidence to questions surrounding the origins of Aleutian Island inhabitants. Mitochondrial DNA from both skeletal remains (primarily stored at the Smithsonian Institution) and from living populations of eastern and western Aleutian Islands will be extracted, analyzed, and the results will be used to reconstruct the migration patterns of prehistoric peoples from Siberia and Alaska. The multi-disciplinary, collaborative nature of this research allows the comparison of genetic patterns in known ancestors and descendants, within an archaeological framework. The evolutionary relationships between prehistoric Aleutians, extant groups, and contemporary Inuits and Native Americans will be explored. The molecular data to be obtained in this project will provide a genetic characterization of the Aleutian people and permits testing of several hypotheses regarding the origin of the modern Aleut population. During the three year duration of this project, fieldwork is planned for: Atka, Pribilof Islands, Anchorage, Unalaska, and Bering Island.