[OR_Archaeology] PSU Anthro lecture series Thurs. Nov. 4: Late Holocene Social Change in NW Alaska: a Study of Pottery

[Susan White]

Please join us for the archaeology presentation on Thursday, November 
4th at 4:00 pm on the campus at Portland State University (Smith Center 
Rm 333).

Shelby Anderson (University of Washington)  will present*:
*

*"Late Holocene Social Change in NW Alaska: a Study of Pottery 
Production and Distribution in the Arctic"*

This research examines the evidence for prehistoric ceramic exchange 
networks over the last 2,000 years in northwest Alaska through the use 
of neutron activation analysis of ceramic artifacts. Results of neutron 
activation analysis on ceramics from eight coastal and inland 
archaeological sites identified three source macrogroups and three 
associated subgroups.  Clay source diversity and shared source 
macrogroups between geographically distant sites suggests the use of 
multiple sources and/or the movement of pots between production locales, 
mirroring related patterns in pottery stylistic data. This study 
provides exploratory data on past ceramic production and distribution 
that hints at changes in exchange and territoriality in late Holocene 
northwest Alaska, during a period of unprecedented social and economic 
change.  These results are considered in the context of testing a model 
of hunter-gatherer social change with expanded ceramic and settlement 
study. 

Please note, the talk will be held in SMITH CENTER, Room 333. 

The presentation is hosted by the Anthropology Student Association and 
the Department of Anthropology at PSU.   It is free and open to the public.

We look forward to seeing you all there.


-- 
Virginia L. Butler
Department of Anthropology
Portland State University
Portland, OR 97207
503.725.3303
butlerv at pdx.edu