Archaeological and Historical Evidence for an 18th-Century "Blip" in the Distribution of the Northern Fur Seal at Kodiak Island, Alaska

• Published in: ARCTIC
• Main Author: Clark, Donald W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Arctic Institute of North America 1986
• Subjects: Animal distribution; Archaeology; Bones; Seals (Animals); Kodiak Island; Alaska; Arctic; Kodiak; Callorhinus ursinus; Northern fur seal
• Online Access: https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/65095

Recovery of fur seal Callorhinus ursinus remains from archaeological sites on Kodiak Island, Alaska, shows a low harvest prior to late prehistoric and early historic time. Then there is a pronounced increase in the frequency of fur seal bones in refuse layers. Russian records do not show any significant take of fur seals from Kodiak, but by the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the next century there are reports that this animal, formerly abundant in the area, had become rare. This may indicate that conditions had reverted to their earlier prehistoric state.Key words: Alaska, fur seals, archaeology, osteo-archaeology Mots clés: Alaska, otaries à fourrure, archéologie, ostéo-archéologie