In collaboration with the White River First Nation of Beaver Creek, Yukon, and the Village Councils of Northway, Tetlin, and Tanacross, Alaska, Yukon College offers an exciting and unique opportunity to participate in ethnographic and archaeological research in the Upper Tanana River watershed, location of southeastern Beringia and the region containing some of the oldest human occupation sites in the Americas.

During summer 2013, continuing excavation at the Little John site will focus on recovery of the 10,000 to 14,000-year-old Late Pleistocene cultural levels, further investigations of Northern Archaic Holocene occupations, and documentation of contemporary and traditional land use, language, and culture. The lower levels of the site contain an abundance of Fauna remains. This joint White River First Nation - Yukon College project involves students and local First Nation youth and elders in integrated investigations of the region's history, language, and culture. Community-based archaeology camps with Northway and Tetlin Native Alaskan villages are also planned for August.

Field school students will receive training in all aspects of archaeological excavation, survey, and field laboratory techniques, ethnographic observation through participant observation, developing field notes, and primary analytical techniques. Field lectures will cover a range of topics as detailed in the 2013 ANTH 225 Course Outline. The outline also contains an sample itinerary of scheduled field activities. 

Students also have the option of registering in Anthropology 226 - Analytical Methods in Archaeology and Ethnography. This course runs concurrently with ANTH 225 and requires an additonal week of laboratory instruction and application at the Ayamdigut campus of Yukon College in Whitehorse July 22nd to 29th. The detailed course outline for ANTH 226 is posted.

Students need to bring this Personal Gear.