Small game, estuaries, and nets: New perspectives on Norton culture coastal adaptations from a shell midden in Norton Sound, Alaska

Abstract

Norton culture (ca. 740 BC–AD 1000) sites are ubiquitous across the western Arctic. Based on artifact and settlement data, it is generally agreed that Norton culture south of Seward Peninsula possessed a mixed marine-focused economy dominated by seasonally available Pacific salmon. However, the few direct studies of Norton subsistence, thus far, have suggested an emphasis on marine mammals rather than salmon. We present the results of a zooarchaeological midden analysis from the large Norton site of Difchahak (49-NOB-005) near Shaktoolik on Norton Sound, Alaska. We argue the faunal remains recovered from this site reflect its local estuarine system. Inhabitants were able to maintain year-round occupation of the region through an expansion of netting technology to non-salmon prey species. The economic focus at Difchahak was on mass capture of several seasonally available taxa, including salmon, mussels, saffron cod, ptarmigan, ducks, geese, and seal. Comparison of these faunal remains to those from Norton culture deposits at the neighboring site of Iyatayet suggests that differences between the localities are largely driven by geographically dependent prey-species distributions, and these two sites may represent complementary parts to a broad logistical foraging system.

Keywords:

• Alaska
• zooarcheology
• Norton
• fishing
• netting
• coastal

Acknowledgements

Thanks go to the Shaktoolik Native Corporation and the Native village of Shaktoolik, especially past CEOs Fred Sagoonick and Jay Asicksik, for permitting and supporting this research on their lands. Our thanks go to Matthew Betts, Jeff Rasic, Teresa Steele, and Andrew Tremayne; they each provided helpful comments and improved our manuscript. Levi Sagoonik, Ashley Sookiayak, and Desiree Rock from Shaktoolik worked with us as summer field assistants. Kelly Eldridge and Andrew Scott kindly volunteered their excavation skills. Eugene and Rhoda Asicksik, Axel Jackson, Fena and Palmer Sagoonik, Lars Sookiayak, Pam Sookiayak, and Priscilla Rock helped with ATV transportation, water, and general local support. We are most grateful for your kindness and generosity!

Disclosure statement

No potential of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for Miszaniec was provided through a fellowship from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC 2016–19), a UC Davis Evolutionary Anthropology Summer Fellowship, an Arctic Institute of North America Grant-in-Aid, a Christina Jensen Scholarship from the Alaska Consortium of Zooarchaeologists, and a grant from the Sacramento Archaeological Society. Additional funding was provided to C. Darwent through a UC Davis Senate Faculty Small Grant for Research.