Stabilization, Curation, Digitization and Data Management of the Wales, Alaska, Archaeology Project (1996-2006) Collections

The site of Wales, Alaska, on the coast of Bering Strait, exists at a crossroads of continents and provides a rich sequence of human activity for over 1200 years. Wales was the site of ten years of recent archaeological investigations, which produced approximately 30,000 artifacts, faunal and floral remains, and sediment samples. Artifacts include chipped and ground stone; carved antler, bone, and ivory objects; wooden implements; and pottery, much of which was recovered in excellent condition due to preservation by permafrost. These materials record over a millennium of human adaptation to an Arctic maritime environment, including the development of Indigenous whaling—a process of critical importance to understanding the North American Arctic past. This dataset represents the results of a project to stabilize, curate, and digitize materials and documents produced by the Wales archaeological excavations between 1996 and 2006. The entire collection is cataloged and rehoused in archival-quality acid-free bags and boxes, ensuring they will be safely stored and accessible to scientists and descendant Inupiaq communities. Objects and raw materials are identified in the Inupiaq language and the terms are incorporated into the collections database so that both Western scientific and Alaska Native designations are available to users. Selected objects are photographed and scanned in 3D to enhance use of the collections. The entire Wales database is publicly available via a searchable web-based project-specific interface. All objects, plant and animal remains, sediment samples and excavation documentation is accessible for study, education, and heritage activities.