ABSTRACT OPP-9414451 ACKERMAN This archaeological, geological and paleoecological survey will focus on an area of limestone caves with excellent preservation conditions which were recently discovered in the Lime Hills region of Southwestern Alaska. Preliminary sampling of one cave entrance has suggested two major intervals. An upper level contained artifacts of bone, antler and stone with a bottom date of 9500 BP, and can be associated with the Paleoarctic tradition of Western Alaska or the Denali Complex of Central Alaska. The lower level, with only faunal remains found thus far, dates to the Late Pleistocene (13,000 - 15,000 BP). This project will recover artifactual and ecological data from these two stratigraphic divisions to determine the sequence of human occupations during the Holocene and late Pleistocene. Additional efforts will be directed towards sampling other caves and sinkholes as well as the coring of nearby bogs and lakes. The goal of the project is to determine the antiquity of human presence in the region and to collect data that will provide insights into the environmental conditions of those times. *** ??
