ABSTRACT OPP-9633760 WILK/ZIMMER A definite relationship has been found between the commercialization of archaeological finds and the destruction of archaeological sites. In spite of worldwide public attention to archaeological heritage preservation, site destruction continues to increase. The objective of this dissertation study is to analyze the rules, values and practices that affect the use of archaeological resources on Saint Lawrence Island in the Bering Straits of Alaska. The Native village of Gambell is a unique case of a legal archaeological market. Many residents recover and sell marketable artifacts as a means of meeting subsistence needs in a cash economy. Other residents oppose this practice. This project addresses the dilemma of selling cultural heritage property, protecting archaeological resources, and the clash between cultural resource managers and local people with limited sources of cash income.
