Bois flottés et archéologie de l’Arctique: contribution à la préhistoire récente du détroit de Béring

Abstract

Until the introduction of commercial wood, driftwood was the main wood resource for people along the coasts of northern North America and Siberia. In Arctic archaeological sites and particularly in the last 2,000 years deposits, wood remains are often well preserved and provide archaeologists with large and representative samples of what was used at a site. However these remains have not been analyzed in great detail despite the interest of studying the use of wood in regions lacking trees. This paper discusses the importance of recording systematic and precise data on driftwood accumulations and wood use in order to better understand: 1) the formation of wooden assemblages, 2) driftwood availability at the time the site was occupied, and 3) users’ selection choices. A survey of modern driftwood accumulations, distribution, Availability and composition in Bering Strait and southern Chukchi Peninsula is also presented. It draws on the study of archaeological collections of Alaskan sites dated to the 6th century and the 11th-15th centuries A.D. to show how establishing such data bases should, in the long run, improve the chronological, technical or even social interpretation of wood remains from arctic sites.Jusqu’à la vente de bois commerciaux venus du sud, les populations installées le long des côtes des régions septentrionales d’Amérique du Nord et de Sibérie allaient régulièrement sur les plages s’approvisionner en bois flottés, principale source de ligneux dans ces régions dénuées d’arbres. Dans les sites archéologiques arctiques et particulièrement dans les dépôts des 2 000 dernières années, la conservation des vestiges en bois est souvent remarquable et fournit aux archéologues des assemblages numériquement représentatifs. Pourtant, ces vestiges ont rarement fait l’objet d’études approfondies malgré l’intérêt d’étudier l’exploitation d’une telle ressource dans des régions qui ne la produisent pas. Cet article discute de la nécessité de connaître la nature des accumulations de bois flotté (modalités de formation des dépôts naturels, propriétés des matériaux disponibles, etc.) afin de mieux comprendre: 1) la formation des assemblages archéologiques en bois, 2) la disponibilité des bois d’oeuvre à l’époque d’occupation du site, et 3) les variables de la sélection des bois par les occupants des sites. L'article présente aussi les résultats d’un premier inventaire de la disponibilité et de la composition actuelle des amas naturels de bois flotté dans le détroit de Béring et dans le sud de la péninsule des Tchouktches. Il s’appuie sur l’étude de collections archéologiques de sites alaskiens datés du 6e et du 11e-15e siècles ap. J.-C. pour montrer comment l’établissement de tels référentiels sur les bois flottés devrait à long terme améliorer l’interprétation chronologique, technique, voire sociale, des vestiges en bois des sites de l’Arctique

A study of the composition, characteristics, and origin of modern driftwood on the western coast of Nunavik (Quebec, Canada)

“…In addition, Haggblom [] notes that birch has one of the lowest rates of floating (no more than 6 months), while the maximum period of buoyancy is approximately 10 months for aspen, 6 to 10 months for willow, 10 months for larch, and up to 17 months for spruce. Furthermore, if the buoyancy period of driftwood depends on the species of wood (conifers or hardwoods), it also depends on the degradation of the wood (e.g., presence of bark or a root system or cracks) as well as its size and volume [ Haggblom , ; Alix , ] .…”

“…Studies in the west of North America corroborate our own finding that birch is virtually absent from the driftwood accumulations, although it is abundant along the rivers. Alix [] attributes the low rate of this taxon in Alaskan driftwood to its low resistance to agents that prompt deterioration and to the permeability of its bark, which keeps the wood moist and accelerates its degradation. In addition, Haggblom [] notes that birch has one of the lowest rates of floating (no more than 6 months), while the maximum period of buoyancy is approximately 10 months for aspen, 6 to 10 months for willow, 10 months for larch, and up to 17 months for spruce.…”

“…In paleoclimatology, driftwood analysis can be used to reconstruct the sequence of Holocene glaciation‐deglaciation and to determine the duration of ice periods [e.g., Blake , , , , ; Haggblom , , ; Johansen , ; England et al ., ]. Finally, in sociology, history, and archeology, driftwood analysis helps to document the historical and contemporary use of wood [e.g., Arnold , ; Giddings , ; Alix , , , , , ; Eckstein and Wrobel , ]. The majority of studies such as these require the determination of the characteristics of the driftwood (species, size, age, origin, etc.…”

Using wood on King Island, Alaska

“…This practice is felt to be too risky by the Yupiit of the YukonKuskokwim delta, but it is described in East Greenland (Gessain 1984) and remembered in northern Alaska as well (Alix 2004). For the Bering Strait islands, Hawkes (1914b in Lee andReinhardt 2003: 102) reports: "[…] the islanders are constantly on the lookout for the drifting timber, and put out to sea in the stormiest weather for a distant piece, be it large or small.…”

“…In both places, while participating in project research and training, I recorded the presence of driftwood on the lagoon, following a methodology established previously (Alix 2004(Alix , 2005. No systematic sampling was undertaken.…”