Maritime adaptation on the northern Alaska Peninsula

Two geographic regions form the northern Peninsula, separated by mountains and a major ecological boundary. After 6000 radiocarbon years ago, a subsis tence distinction becomes evident with people of the Bering Sea plain maint aining interest in land mammals, and those of the steep Pacific coast begin ning sea mammal and fishery exploitation. After 4000 BP habitation structur es are found on the Pacific coast in sites with faunal remains indicating s ome mastery in harvesting offshore marine resources. Meanwhile, on the Beri ng Sea plain northern-affiliated peoples of the Arctic Small Tool tradition appear, construct semisubterranean houses, and focus their subsistence on migrating salmon as well as on the Peninsula caribou herd, After 2300 years ago, multi-house settlements occur on both sides of the Peninsula, and tra its of the Bering Sea slope begin to appear on the Pacific. These increase through time, evidently as Baring Sea people infiltrate the open Pacific co ast, presumably attracted by marine resources. After 1000 BP, the peoples o f the two sides of the Peninsula occupy substantial settlements, are cultur ally conjoined, and manifest the subsistence interest of known historic Esk imo-speakers, balanced between products of the coast, interior caribou herd s, and salmon of the streams.