14 June 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Anchorage’s Indigenous History: A 1000-Year-Old Dene Cache Found Near Cook Inlet

In June 2024, archaeologists from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) and Northern Land Use Research Alaska discovered a birch bark-lined cache at a known Dene (Athabascan) site along Upper Cook Inlet. The Dene language group extends from the interior of Alaska through Canada and into the American Southwest, with the Dena’ina and Ahtna peoples being among its speakers.

Elizabeth Ortiz, a cultural resource manager and archaeologist at JBER, explained that cache pits are similar to root cellars and were used to preserve fish, meat, and berries. These pits were dug into well-drained soils and lined with birch bark and layers of grasses to protect the food, making intact finds quite rare. Initial radiocarbon dating revealed that the cache was used approximately 1,000 years ago.

Margan Grover, an archaeologist at JBER, stated, “This is the oldest known site on the east side of Upper Cook Inlet and further substantiates Dena’ina and Ahtna oral traditions that the JBER and surrounding area have been used for a very long time.” The site has long been associated with the Dena’ina and Ahtna peoples and is located near a traditional trail used for travel between the area and the Matanuska and Susitna valleys.

The Dene people would come to this area in the spring and stay through the summer to catch and preserve salmon. Traditional houses, known as nichił, and smokehouses lined the bluff and beach along Upper Cook Inlet. The discovery of the cache provides a valuable learning opportunity for everyone involved. Grover emphasized, “I want this to be an opportunity for people to understand who the Dene of Knik Arm are and how their ancestors lived on the land that is now JBER and Anchorage.”

Archaeologists from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Northern Land Use Research Alaska, and area tribal councils encountered a birch bark-lined cache at a known Dene site along Upper Cook Inlet in June of 2024. Cache pits are similar to root cellars and were used to preserve fish, meat, and berries. Initial radiocarbon dating revealed that the cache was used around 1,000 years ago. Credit: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
Archaeologists from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Northern Land Use Research Alaska, and area tribal councils encountered a birch bark-lined cache at a known Dene site along Upper Cook Inlet in June of 2024. Cache pits are similar to root cellars and were used to preserve fish, meat, and berries. Initial radiocarbon dating revealed that the cache was used around 1,000 years ago. Credit: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

Most of the site was demolished by military activities in 1942, but remarkably, this cache pit contains an intact birch bark lining and is one of the few undisturbed features left at the Dene site. Ortiz noted that additional radiocarbon and stable isotope tests could yield new and significant information about the history of Upper Cook Inlet. Researchers are also testing to determine what types of food were stored in the cache and what other activities took place in the surrounding area.

The stable isotope analysis examines ratios of nitrogen and carbon, revealing whether the food stored there was marine or terrestrial. Initial results indicate that the cache was used to store moose or caribou. Grover mentioned, “Our research questions and methods are being developed in collaboration with area tribes who have not had access to these traditional lands for many decades.”

The cache not only provides valuable information but also presents an opportunity for JBER to build relationships. Aaron Leggett, president of the Native Village of Eklutna, stated, “Research at this site provides an invaluable opportunity to work toward shared goals and the co-production of knowledge about our past.”

Researchers measure a test excavation they made into the wall of the cache during their visit in the summer of 2024. The white spot in the middle is the preserved birch bark. Credit: U.S. Air Force
Researchers measure a test excavation they made into the wall of the cache during their visit in the summer of 2024. The white spot in the middle is the preserved birch bark. Credit: U.S. Air Force

In conclusion, this 1000-year-old cache found near Cook Inlet serves as a testament to the Dene people’s stewardship of these lands and highlights the importance of preserving the rich cultural heritage of the region. Archaeological findings and oral histories illuminate the past, allowing local communities to reconnect with their history and heritage.

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER)

Cover Image Credit: A depression around the cache where soil samples were taken during the archeologists’ visit in summer 2024. Credit: U.S. Air Force and Northern Land Use Research Alaska

Related Articles

Archaeologists discover a well-planned new urban precinct in the Egyptian settlement of Marea

2 August 2021

2 August 2021

Archaeologists excavating the ancient port settlement and cemetery of Marea in Egypt have revealed that a significant part of the...

Antikythera underwater excavation digs up new discoveries “huge marble head”

20 June 2022

20 June 2022

The second phase of underwater archaeological research (May 23 to June 15, 2022) on the Antikythera shipwreck resulted in the...

Archaeologists deciphered the Sabaean inscription on a clay jar finds link between King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba

3 April 2023

3 April 2023

Archaeologists deciphered a partially preserved inscription that was found on the neck of a large jar dated back to the...

Hidden 13th-century carving of ‘face of Christ’ discovered in Ballymore, Ireland

12 May 2022

12 May 2022

At Ballymore, in the county of Westmeath, Ireland, sunlight led to an interesting and special discovery. The sunlight revealed that...

Female pharaoh’s temple reveals teamwork of Egypt’s ‘ancient masters’

18 November 2021

18 November 2021

Despite the widely acknowledged monumentality and durability of ancient Egyptian sculpture, carved reliefs, and paintings the makers of these works...

The oldest grave in northern Germany 10,500 years old

14 October 2022

14 October 2022

Archaeologists have discovered the oldest known human remains in northern Germany in a 10,500-year-old cremation grave in Lüchow, Schleswig-Holstein. The...

2,000-year-old stone faces and engravings emerge amid severe drought in Amazon

24 October 2023

24 October 2023

As a result of record-low water levels brought on by the region’s worst drought in over a century, faces carved...

Who really fought in the Battle of Himera? Researchers found the answer to the question

14 May 2021

14 May 2021

According to the Ancient Greek Historians, victory over the Carthaginians in the Battle of Himera was won by the alliance...

A 4000-Year-Old Trading Port was Discovered in Istanbul

4 May 2021

4 May 2021

Archaeological excavations carried out on a peninsula in the middle of Istanbul Küçükçekmece Lake unearthed a very important 4,000-year-old trade...

Recent excavations reveal the complete water conservancy system of the nearly 5000-year-old Liangzhu Ruins

26 November 2024

26 November 2024

In recent excavations around the Liangzhu Ruins in east China’s Zhejiang Province, researchers have discovered about 20 ancient dams. Seven...

Archaeological excavations started again after 50 years in Tunceli Tozkoparan mound

28 June 2021

28 June 2021

Archaeological excavations at the Tozkoparan Mound in Turkey’s Tunceli province are anticipated to turn the city into one of eastern...

Detector finds rare Merovingian gold ring refers to a previously unknown principality

22 February 2024

22 February 2024

A metal detectorist has unearthed a very rare, 1,500-year-old Merovingian gold ring made of 22-carat gold at Emmerlev in Southwest...

Rare Hittite bracelet, 3300 years old, found by a farmer

28 March 2022

28 March 2022

A farmer in Turkey’s Çorum province discovered a rare 3,300-year-old ancient bracelet from the Hittite era while plowing his farm....

The human remains dating back 10,000 years unearthed in Vietnam

15 November 2023

15 November 2023

In Ha Nam Province, northern Vietnam, skeletal remains dating back 10,000 years have been discovered. This is marking the oldest...

Norse Runic Text found in Oslo could be Prayer!

30 December 2021

30 December 2021

Archaeologists from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Studies (NIKU) have unearthed two objects inscribed in Norse runic text in...