Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Legacy of the Gulkana Site: Collaborative Digital Archaeology and Northern Dene Technology

古尔卡纳考古遗址(GUL-077)提供了亚北极洲金属加工创新的早期和重要证据。在阿拉斯加-育空地区发现的所有接触前的铜文物中，近三分之一是在Gul-077发现的。因此，该遗址对于考古了解北德涅的技术适应以及更广泛地了解北美金属加工的起源和发展具有重要意义。古尔卡纳遗址对阿赫特纳人来说也很有意义，他们是该遗址居民的后裔。通过应用数字技术和与Ahtna社区合作来解释遗址，该项目将促进对阿拉斯加土著金属加工的了解，并使考古学家、Ahtna人和更广泛的公众更容易获得先前关于北德涅河技术创新研究的遗产记录。本研究的目标是：了解Gulkana遗址的铜技术；使用行为框架对遗址进行空间分析；以及与Ahtna社区和组织合作解释遗址材料和管理结果数据。该项目的第一阶段包括将与遗址有关的挖掘记录数字化，并制作遗址地图；这些活动将通过实习和年度青年夏令营为社区参与提供机会。第二阶段使用空间分析来确定活动区域，以了解场地内铜和其他人工制品类型的分布。这些发现将被合作解释，以促进对Northern Dene技术的理解。更广泛的影响包括对中级青年的培训和体验式学习，以及通过外联活动加强当地对阿赫特纳过去的参与。结果将通过一篇论文和一次合作的会议陈述来传播。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Gulkana archaeological site (GUL-077) presents early and significant evidence for metalworking innovation in the Subarctic. Nearly one third of all pre-contact copper artifacts recovered from the Alaska-Yukon region were found at GUL-077. The site is therefore important to archaeological understanding of Northern Dene technological adaptation as well as the origins and development of metalworking in North America more generally. The Gulkana site is also meaningful to the Ahtna, who are descended from the site’s inhabitants. By applying digital techniques and collaborating with Ahtna communities to interpret the site, this project will advance knowledge of Indigenous metalworking in Alaska and make legacy records of previous research on Northern Dene technological innovation more accessible to archaeologists, Ahtna people, and the broader public.The objectives of this research are to: understand copper technologies at the Gulkana site; conduct spatial analysis of the site using a behavioral framework; and work collaboratively with Ahtna communities and organizations to interpret site materials and manage resulting data. Phase 1 of the project involves digitization of the excavation records associated with the site and creation of a site map; these activities will provide opportunities for community engagement through internships and annual youth camps. Phase 2 employs spatial analysis to identify activity areas to understand distribution of copper and other artifact types within the site. Findings will be collaboratively interpreted to advance understanding of Northern Dene technology. Broader impacts include training and experiential learning for middle-grade youth and enhanced local engagement with the Ahtna past through outreach activities. Results will be disseminated through a dissertation and a collaborative conference presentation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.