Archaeology in the Hinterland of Fort Ross, California

在肯特·莱特福特博士的指导下，一组研究生将分析罗斯堡考古项目初期收集的材料。他们还将进行相关的文献研究，为更大规模的实地项目做准备。罗斯堡遗址位于加利福尼亚州海岸，由俄罗斯于1812年建立(一直保留到1841年)，作为海獭狩猎基地。它还作为一个农业站，在那里种植农作物和牲畜，供当地食用，并运往俄罗斯的阿拉斯加殖民地。除了欧洲人，基地还包括阿拉斯加原住民。据推测，这两个群体都与居住在这个沿海地区的美洲原住民进行了互动。莱特福特博士和他的团队正将他们的注意力集中在这种互动方面，并找到了一系列可能是在堡垒建立之前和之后的美洲原住民遗址。分析将包括岩屑遗迹的黑铁矿水合测年，人工制品的加工和编目，动物和花卉遗骸的分析，以及沉积物研究。还将审查相关的民族史学和考古学资料，以便将这些资料放在更广泛的人类学背景下，并为今后的研究确定方向。这项研究之所以意义重大，有几个原因。首先，存在着关于加州原住民的优秀的人种学数据，考古学家利用这些信息重建了假设的史前生活方式。然而，尚不清楚俄罗斯人和其他欧洲人的影响有多大，一些人认为，这种接触显著改变了原住民的生活。这个项目将有助于回答这个问题。其次，这项研究将有助于培养几位年轻的、非常有前途的科学家。

Under the guidance of Dr. Kent Lightfoot, a group of graduate students will analyze materials collected in the initial phase of the Fort Ross archaeological project. They will also conduct related documentary research to prepare for a larger-scale field project. The Fort Ross site, located on the coast of California, was established by Russia in 1812 (and maintained until 1841) as a base for sea otter hunting. It also served as an agricultural station where crops and livestock were raised for local consumption and for shipment to Russia's Alaskan colonies. In addition to Europeans, the base contained Alaskan natives. Presumably both groups interacted with the Native American peoples who inhabited this coastal area. Dr. Lightfoot and his team are focussing their attention on this interactive aspect and have located a series of likely native American sites which both pre and postdate the establishment of the Fort. Analyses will include obsidian hydration dating of lithic remains, processing and cataloging of artifacts, analysis of faunal and floral remains, and sediment studies. Relevant ethnohistoric and archaeological sources will also be examined to put these materials into a broader anthropological context and to establish directions for future research. This research is significant for several reasons. First, excellent ethnographic data exists on aboriginal California peoples, and archaeologists have used this information to reconstruct hypothetical prehistoric lifeways. However, it is unclear how great the impact of Russians and other Europeans was and some argue that aboriginal life was markedly changed by this contact. This project will help to answer this question. Secondly, the research will assist in the training of several young and extremely promising scientists.