stefan
11-15-2011, 10:17 AM
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2011/11/15/mi-bronze-alaska-artifact.jpg
1,500-year-old artifact found in Alaska
Archeologists say it shows further connection between Asia and the far North
The buckle-like artifact was found on the coastline of western Alaska. Archeologists say it is about 1,500 years old and could show early links between Asia and the far North. University of Colorado
Archeologists have found a small piece of broken bronze metal in Alaska which dates back 1,500 years.
They say this could prove an early connection between Asia and the far North.
It‘s old, broken, and just a few centimeters across, but it came as a big surprise to archeologist John Hoffecker from the University of Colorado.
“Fortunately, there was a small piece of leather that was attached to this object and that we can date directly, and it yielded a date of about 1,500 years ago,” said Hoffecker.
Owen Mason, an archeologist with the University of Alaska who was part of the team who discovered it, says the fact the piece was found on the Alaskan coast might force people to re-think the history of trade in the North.
“This is showing some kind of participation in the world system long before the Russians, long before any Europeans,” said Mason.
Mason speculates that some of the ancient ivory artifacts found in Asia might have been traded for Alaskan walrus ivory.
“We have something that has clearly come a long way and we have to explain how it got there,” said Mason.
The buckle-like object was found more than a metre underground in the remains of a 1,000-year-old Inupiat home on a barren stretch of western Alaska coastline.
The archeologists hope to be back on the site again next summer.
This find comes on the heels of another artifact from Asia. This past summer, archeologists found a 17th-Century Chinese coin northwest of Carmacks, Yukon.
1,500-year-old artifact found in Alaska
Archeologists say it shows further connection between Asia and the far North
The buckle-like artifact was found on the coastline of western Alaska. Archeologists say it is about 1,500 years old and could show early links between Asia and the far North. University of Colorado
Archeologists have found a small piece of broken bronze metal in Alaska which dates back 1,500 years.
They say this could prove an early connection between Asia and the far North.
It‘s old, broken, and just a few centimeters across, but it came as a big surprise to archeologist John Hoffecker from the University of Colorado.
“Fortunately, there was a small piece of leather that was attached to this object and that we can date directly, and it yielded a date of about 1,500 years ago,” said Hoffecker.
Owen Mason, an archeologist with the University of Alaska who was part of the team who discovered it, says the fact the piece was found on the Alaskan coast might force people to re-think the history of trade in the North.
“This is showing some kind of participation in the world system long before the Russians, long before any Europeans,” said Mason.
Mason speculates that some of the ancient ivory artifacts found in Asia might have been traded for Alaskan walrus ivory.
“We have something that has clearly come a long way and we have to explain how it got there,” said Mason.
The buckle-like object was found more than a metre underground in the remains of a 1,000-year-old Inupiat home on a barren stretch of western Alaska coastline.
The archeologists hope to be back on the site again next summer.
This find comes on the heels of another artifact from Asia. This past summer, archeologists found a 17th-Century Chinese coin northwest of Carmacks, Yukon.