St. Lawrence Island’s Subsistence Diggers: A New Perspective on Human Effects on Archaeological Sites

Abstract

AbstractThe problem of archaeological site destruction is receiving much deserved attention from the archaeological profession and from the public. Native subsistence diggers are significant agents of destruction in Alaska and their situation is representative of third world conditions. A case study, featuring the St. Lawrence Island community of Gambell, Alaska, describes the subsistence diggers’ attitudes and motivations. This study provides insights into behavioral aspects of archaeological looting, causal factors underlying site destruction, and the internal workings of the artifact market. The Gambell case illustrates an ethical dilemma that needs to be addressed, since newly adopted policies to curtail site destruction may cause significant harm to a Native population that is compelled by economic forces to cannibalize its own heritage. The introduction of alternate sources of cash income through sensible economic development offers a possible solution.