Little John Site - Stratified Deposits from the Historic to the Pleistocene

Regional Survey in Mirror and Scottie Creek Valleys in Yukon and Alaska

Ethnographic Documentation of Upper Tanana Dineh of the Borderlands

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 2010, continuing excavation at the Little John site will focus on recovery of the 10,000 to 14,000-year-old Pleistocene levels with faunal remains from the site, further investigations of Holocene occupations, and documentation of contemporary and traditional land use, language, and culture. 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 sample course outline. The outline also contains an sample itinerary of scheduled field activities. The detailed 2010 course outline will be posted in March 2010. 

Students need to bring this personal gear.