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A mammoth discovery: ice-age archaeology in Alaska

Join us for a virtual research update from the Holzman site in Alaska, where a 14,000-year-old mammoth tusk was discovered and a team of experts from around the world work to better understand the first arrival of people into the Americas. Monday September 28, 2:00-3:00 pm (EST). Please save the date and invite your groups, classes, and clubs. For more information, see the attached flyer and abstract below. Register in advance and mark your calendars here.

Abstract: The Holzman archaeological site lies along the west bank of Shaw Creek, a northern tributary of the middle Tanana River in Interior Alaska. Recent excavations have yielded an expedient stone technology alongside well-preserved hearths, avifauna, and large mammal remains including abundant mammoth ivory in deeply buried deposits. Evidence of food preparation and ivory tool manufacture has been dated to at least to 13,700 cal BP. A smaller component at the site dates to 14,000 years ago making Holzman one of the earliest sites in the Americas. A multidisciplinary team including students from all over the world conducted wide-ranging analyses to contribute to our understanding of the human activities and local environmental change in the Shaw Creek valley—an area rich in Paleolithic archaeology.