birds, needles, and iron: late holocene prehistoric alaskan grooving techniques Carol Gelvin-Reymiller Department of Anthropology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 757720, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7720;
[email protected] Joshua Reuther University of Arizona and Northern Land Use Research, Inc., PO Box 83990, Fairbanks, AK 99708
[email protected] abstract This article considers questions in prehistoric technology by examining organic artifacts from sev- eral Alaska Late Holocene sites, including Croxton Site Locality J at Tukuto Lake, western Brooks Range. Examples of bone needle “cores” and needles crafted from large bird humeri are measured and microscopically examined to distinguish possible differences in tools and reduction techniques. Tool handles used to accomplish grooving, including “engraving tool handles,” as well as differences between iron and stone bits, are discussed. Archaeometric data, avian ecology, and ethnographic ac- counts are explored to investigate aspects of needle manufacture, the introduction of iron, and the potential relationships people had to these materials and objects. keywords: Avifauna, needles, bone, technology, Ipiutak, engraving introduction Grooving technologies, the processes by which organic In addition to the analysis of bird bone cores and the materials were divided and shaped, were frequently put to nature of bird bone itself, we consider the construction use by arctic and subarctic cultures. These processes have of tools required to accomplish grooving, including “en- been studied by archaeologists to some degree and con- graving tool handles” (sic Larsen and Rainey 1948) and tinue to be of interest for understanding tool manufac- other handles, as well as bits associated with grooving ture. Semenov’s well-known Prehistoric Technology (1976 techniques.