In 2005, TCC Archaeological Program began work at Healy Lake due to a land sale on a restricted Native allotment. It was known that the Healy Lake area contained many existing archaeological sites from work that was conducted by Healy Lake Tribal members and academic researchers in the 1960s.
Linda’s Point
Linda’s Point is one of the sites discovered in the 1960s and is located on a Native allotment. Linda’s Point was of interest since it is located nearby the Healy Lake Village site, which has been dated back to 13,500 years ago and is one of the oldest human habitation sites in Alaska.
The TCC Archaeological Program conducted additional research of the Healy Lake Village site, as well as expanded their research area to include Linda’s Point. In collaboration with other researcher groups (Texas A&M, Rural Alaska Honors Institute and Yukon College) the TCC Archaeology Program conducted testing and excavation that revealed deep deposits of archaeological materials dating back as early as 13,000 years ago at Linda’s Point.
Given the close age estimates between Linda’s Point and Healy Lake Village sites, the TCC Archaeology Program worked to integrate unpublished site information on the Healy Lake Village site research in the 1960-1970s era with the newly excavated areas at Linda’s Point to improve the understanding of one of the oldest known communities in Alaska.
Publications
The results of TCC Archaeology Program’s work at Healy Lake have been incorporated into the Dissertation work of Dr. Angela Younie and published in Current Research in the Pleistocene and the international journal, ARCTIC.
Linda’s Point research completed by the TCC Archaeology Program has been presented at multiple conferences, including the Society for American Archaeology, the international Paleoamerican Odyssey conference, and the annual meetings of the Alaskan Anthropological Association.
Work at Linda’s Point was partially funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, Arctic Social Sciences program.
Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI) Links
- RAHI Webpage: https://www.uaf.edu/rahi/
- Alaska Dispatch News: http://www.adn.com/alaska-news/article/rural-alaskan-students-dig-archaeology/2013/09/13/
- TCC Press Release: https://www.tananachiefs.org/news-media/press-releases/rural-alaskan-students-dig-into-archaeology/
Research by TCC Archaeology Program and Dr. Angela Younie
- ARCTIC Publication: http://arctic.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/view/4550
- Linda’s Point Blog: https://lindaspointarchaeology.wordpress.com/
- Dissertation Information: https://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/handle/1969.1/156533?show=full
- Angela Younie Profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Angela_Younie
- Healy Lake research report: https://www.alaskaanthropology.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Research-Notes-AJA-v111-2.pdf
