Archeology

Archeology is not just digging in the dirt. Archeologists study the past, solve mysteries, and uncover the stories of objects left behind by earlier people and cultures. Archeologists are anthropologists, meaning they study people, but they are not geologists (who study rocks and minerals) or paleontologists (who study ancient reptiles or fossils). Archeology is one of many tools like oral or written histories that park staff use to unearth Lake Clark's history.
 
a women in a red flannel inspects a handcrafted wooden hunting bow on a table
A Recent Park Discovery!

In 2021, NPS employees found a carved wooden hunting bow in the waters of a lake, follow along to learn more about this fascinating find.

Landscape view of a kayak with two paddlers out on the water with mountains in the distance.
West Cook Inlet Coastal Archeology

By conducting research, archeological evidence lends understanding to past traditions and its legacy.

Close up of a rock with a orange-reddish image on it.
Pictographs on the Cook Inlet Coast

People have utilized the shoreline along west Cook Inlet within Lake Clark National Park and Preserve for at least 3500 years.

a stone projectile point
Why Archeologists Value Context

Context give archeologists a more complete picture of the past.

a peach colored microblade core
Is This the Park's Oldest Artifact?

Is the the oldest object in the park collections? Was it found at the oldest archaeological site in the park?

a rocky ice patch
Ice Patch Archeology

High elevation areas where ice patches form are not frequented by a significant number of people today, but what about in the past?

A semi-buried clam dredge in the sand
So You Found a Site or Artifact...

What to do when you find an archeological site or an artifact in the wild.

two people excavating an archeological site
Preserving Archeological Sites and More

What park staff are doing to preserve archeological sites and cultural landscapes.

Last updated: December 27, 2023

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PO Box 227
Port Alsworth, AK 99653

Phone:

907 644-3626

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