We were back in the field today, a fine place to be, except when it is drizzling and cold all day. I worked a new section, known as the Driftwood Feature in Nuvuk Archaeology terms. There have been significant findings in this area earlier in the summer and the push is on to get more work done before the wood specialist, Dr. Claire Alix, leaves and before the seas pull back more of the gravelly shoreline. One of the first pictures posted was of Scientists At Work, it might be me but I could see that a small amount of shoreline has eroded since last week!! Here’s a picture of the site today. What do you think?
This is the area we worked in today. Lots of gravel moving, 7 people moved a couple of ton of gravel and then four of us kept working on it for the rest of the day.
I will do one whole journal entry on the Driftwood Feature later this week. I am hoping to get back in there to work tomorrow, there are wood pieces, shells, animal bones, and perhaps much more.
Transportation is the focus today. I mentioned yesterday that there are two ways to get in or out of here, plane or boat. Once you are here how do you get around? Native people might have used dogs, I am still researching that one. Sleds were common and a few passages I have come across indicate that the sleds were being pulled by men. The other method of transportation was on the water with a boat known as an oomiak or umiak. These seal skin covered boats were used for hunting whales, seals, walrus, or sea birds and were paddled by up to 8 men. The boat below has a synthetic covering yet is the same design as the oomiak.
These seal skin covered boats were made by the men and then the covering was stitched together by the women. Light, flexible, and fast, they are essential during the whale hunt.
The native transportation techniques did pretty well when adapted to motors. Snow machines pull sleds through the snow and now four wheelers are used during the summer months. Motor boats are used to access different hunting areas and camps, yet the oomiaks are still used during the whale hunt.
![Ready For Work in the Winter](/files/members/frank-kelley/images/snowmachine.jpg "Snowmachines are for transportation and work around here. One of the local students told me that some folks still ride them in the summer. I asked why, he said, "The snowmachines skim across the water out on the tundra, a four wheeler just sinks."")
Snowmachines are for transportation and work around here. One of the local students told me that some folks still ride them in the summer. I asked why, he said, "The snowmachines skim across the water out on the tundra, a four wheeler just sinks."
These machines are right out in front of #268 but are not the ones we ride, I forgot the picture earlier today and I figured there are enough four wheelers out there, that no one be checking serial numbers.
The sled is atop a storage container, remember no garages around here. The bike has seen better days.
The bike in that last picture has not been used much. The kids learn to use four wheelers at a young age. One of the high school students learned when she was 10. The boys probably learned before the they were 10, I’ll ask them tomorrow.
We travel by four wheeler the 5 miles out to Point each day we do field work. Once there we are out for the day. Today’s cold rain did not stop us for a minute, we just kept going, moving gravel and sand out of the way with shovel or trowel.
The line of four wheelers coming down the road is rather long. One of the bear guards leads us, then come the two machines pulling trailers. The kids around here are pros with these things, accidents do happen though. Wear a helmet!!
When I got back from the Point at 6PM, I remembered that I needed to have an item of the day. I had worked hard all day and thought the best items were the ones that were used the most. Most of the splattered mud and dirt had been washed off my pants, gloves, and boots by the rain as we came back from the field. Scientists up here in Barrow have a different set of conditions to work in, a bit of a challenge, yet we are all proud of our individual and collective dedication.
Working hard is something that I pride myself on, there's a couple of older guys on the crew. We can still out-shovel the younger guys most days.
Tomorrow, focus on the work on Dr. Claire Alix and the Driftwood Feature. Until then, go dig a few holes and have fun doing it. You will definitely find something interesting!!