Early Occupations and Cultural Sequence at Moose Creek: A Late Pleistocene Site in Central Alaska

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Early investigations at the Moose Creek site in 1979 and 1984 recovered stone tools within and below paleosol stringers dated between 8160 ± 260 14 C yr BP and 11 730 ± 250 14 C yr BP. Although questions remained regarding the absence of diagnostic artifacts and the validity of the radiocarbon dates obtained from soil organics, this assemblage was tentatively assigned to the Nenana complex. Excavations at the site were resumed in 1996 in hopes of solving persisting problems associated with the culture-historical positions of its components. Microstratigraphic excavation techniques identified two superimposed microblade components associated with the Denali complex. Hearth charcoal dated the deepest microblade occupation at 10 500 ± 60 14 C yr BP, while a geological sample dated the second at 5680 ± 50 14 C yr BP. The oldest microblades lay 15 cm above a Nenana complex occupation that contained a hearth dated at 11 190 ± 60 14 C yr BP. Artifacts associated with this feature included a large scraper-plane, two side scrapers, a biface, an exhausted flake core, a hammerstone, and anvil stones, as well as a subtriangular point and a teardrop-shaped Chindadn point. The majority of these tools were manufactured from a large basalt cobble reduced using a bipolar technique. Subsurface testing at several localities around the site did not uncover new late Pleistocene occupations. The chronostratigraphic positions of the diagnostic artifacts found during the re-excavation support previous culturehistorical sequences observed for Nenana and Denali complexes in the region. Results from this latest research confirm that the Nenana and Denali complexes are chronologically, stratigraphically, and technologically distinct in the Nenana Valley.

Environment and archeology in Beringia

“…The only identifiable faunal remains are weathered tooth fragments of elk and sheep from Dry Creek. [65][66][67] At least two localities in the Tanana Basin may contain occupations that date to this time interval, but their dating is problematic. An artifact assemblage similar to those found in the Nenana Valley was discovered at Chugwater near Fairbanks.…”

Phenetics, cladistics, and the search for the Alaskan ancestors of the Paleoindians: a reassessment of relationships among the Clovis, Nenana, and Denali archaeological complexes

“…Goebel et al's (1991) study has been cited on many occasions. Some of the researchers who have cited the study disagree with its conclusions (e.g., Bradley and Stanford, 2004;Dumond, 2001;Meltzer, 2004;Stanford and Bradley, 2002), but the majority appear to accept them (e.g., Bever, 2001aBever, ,b, 2006Boldurian and Cotter, 1999;Dixon, 2001;Fiedel, 2000Fiedel, , 2006Goebel, 1999Goebel, , 2004Haynes, 2002Haynes, , 2005Hoffecker, 2001;Holmes, 2001;Pearson, 1999Pearson, , 2001Roosevelt et al, 2002;Straus et al, 2005;Yesner et al, 2004). In addition, Goebel et al's (1991) conclusions have been incorporated into a number of subsequent influential studies (e.g., Hoffecker et al, 1993).…”

New insights into Eastern Beringian mortuary behavior: A terminal Pleistocene double infant burial at Upward Sun River

“…Sluiceway complex is typified by convex bases but, compared with the USR points, are generally longer, wider, and thicker with a distinct diamond-shaped cross-section (41). However, the USR specimens are similar in dimension and basal form to various Denali complex points, including Dry Creek Component 2, Moose Creek Component 2, Panguingue Creek Component 1, Sparks Point, and Whitmore Ridge in Alaska and Little Arm Phase of the American Paleoarctic tradition in the Yukon Territory (13,37,(42)(43)(44)(45). Given these comparisons and the widespread distribution of Denali complex (or American Paleoarctic tradition) throughout interior eastern Beringia in 12,500-6000 cal B.P.…”