Anangula Archeological District
National Historic Landmark

Anangula Archeological District

Nikolski, Aleutian Islands County, Alaska
Listed
June 1, 1978
Type
Site
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
78000512

About this property

The Anangula Site (also Anangula Archeological District and Ananiuliak Island Archeological District) is an archaeological site in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Located on a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long island off the western coast of Umnak Island, it lies 3.1 miles (5.0 km) north-northwest of Nikolski Bay. The site documents one of the earliest known human settlements in the Aleutian Islands, dating to c. 6400 BCE. It was in the 1970s believed to be a remnant of people thought to have migrated here across the land bridge from Asia. The site is believed to have been along the southern fringe of the hypothesized Bering land bridge, by which (according to that theory) the Americas were first settled. At the time of its settlement, sea level was believed to be lower (by about 100 metres (330 ft)), and the area consisted of a strandflat surrounded by nutrient-rich waters and abundant wildlife. The immediate area of the settlement is also surrounded by evidence of volcanic ashfalls, which are theorized to contribute to the eventual abandonment of the site, leading to the settlement of other parts of Beringia. The Anangula site was first discovered by William S. Laughlin in 1938, when surface surveys identified the area as of potential interest. In the 1950s additional research was done in the area, but its great age was not understood until its major features were found, buried beneath 2 metres (6.6 ft) of volcanic deposits. Excavations in the late 1960s uncovered all or part of eight house remains, and recovered more than 30,000 artifacts, some of which bore little resemblance to other North American finds at the time. These structures were partially subterranean, measuring about 3 metres (9.8 ft) by 5.5 metres (18 ft), and were apparently designed to house single families. The site was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Ananiuliak Island Archeological District in 1972, and was declared a National Historic Landmark District in 1978.

Location

Nikolski, Aleutian Islands County, Alaska

Categories

PREHISTORIC
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Finds & Access
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Questions about this property

When was Anangula Archeological District listed on the National Register?

Anangula Archeological District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 1, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Anangula Archeological District?

Anangula Archeological District is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Anangula Archeological District a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Anangula Archeological District has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Anangula Archeological District?

The period of significance for Anangula Archeological District is recorded as the civil_war era.

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