Archaeological investigations in Alaska since 1939

Abstract

In almost any branch of science, periods of slow and steady progress or stagnation alternate with periods of rapid development caused by new discoveries or inventions, by the introduction of new methods, or by other accelerating factors. Eskimo archaeology is no exception to this rule and, even if only thirty years have passed since archaeologists first began to search for Eskimo relics, it is already possible to distinguish four periods of development, separated by short interludes of relatively little activity. Of these four periods only the last two fall within the scope of this article, but since the understanding of recent developments in Eskimo archaeology presupposes a knowledge of previous work in that field it is necessary to summarize what was accomplished in the first two periods.