Imagine heading to work like it was any other day, but instead of laying fiber for Alaska’s next-generation, high-speed network in Kotzebue as planned, you unearthed thousands of 800-year-old artifacts.
In the summer of 2013, a Kikiktagruk Inupiat Corporation construction crew laying fiber as part of GCI’s Terrestrial for Every Rural Region in Alaska (TERRA) project unexpectedly found Thule artifacts near a beach in Kotzebue. The discovery prompted the crew to halt construction while GCI consulted archaeologists, KIC and the Bureau of Land Management to negotiate a new route for the fiber. Under a Memorandum of Agreement, the crew resumed construction in 2015, this time with an on-site archaeologist evaluating the contents of every bucket of soil.
In all, about 4,000 artifacts and animal bones were uncovered, including ivory combs, subsistence tools and spears that represent the most advanced technologies in the coastal area during the time of their use. Based on artifact analysis and carbon-14 dating, the tested materials dated back to A.D. 1210-1275 and are associated with the Thule culture, the ancestors of modern Inuit culture.
Today, the artifacts are being stored at Alaska’s Museum of the North. Normally, the story would end here. People with restricted access would be able to see the objects, but other than that, they’d be widely out of the public eye. As Alaska’s leading telecommunications provider, we couldn’t let that happen.
In 2016, three years after the objects were initially discovered, GCI launched an interactive website giving anyone the ability to experience and enjoy the historic artifacts.
GCI teams visited Kotzebue on several occasions to consult with partners in the region for the design of the interactive, educational website, which uses modern tools and technology to highlight the ingenuity of ancient technology. It provides the community with an opportunity to connect with Alaska’s ancestors on a whole new level.
The website, which is still maintained by GCI, is currently the only avenue for viewing the artifacts. It is a chance for the public to learn about Alaska’s coastal cultures that have thrived in the area for thousands of years, through educational materials, a photo gallery of the artifacts, a presentation video and an overview of the findings.
The Kotzebue Artifacts website was designed by GCI in collaboration with KIC, BLM, Native Village of Kotzebue, National Park Service, State Historic Preservation Office and Kotzebue Middle High School for the purpose of creating educational resources and a catalogue for future research. To view a sample of the artifacts and access educational materials, visit www.KotzebueArtifacts.info.