26 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

New Archaeological Discovery Extends Human Settlement of Kodiak Island by 7,800 Years

Archaeologists at the Alagnaruartuliq site (KAR-00064) on Kodiak Island’s Karluk Lake have uncovered evidence of one of the oldest known human settlements in the region. Radiocarbon dating of wood charcoal from an ancient hearth indicates that Alutiiq/Sugpiaq ancestors lived and crafted tools here approximately 7,800 years ago. This pushes Kodiak Island’s human history back at least 300 years.

Ancient Hearth Reveals Early Alutiiq Presence

During excavations beneath more recent house depressions, researchers discovered a small cobble hearth accompanied by stone tools typical of Kodiak’s earliest settlements. “This discovery gives us a glimpse into the lives of Kodiak’s first inhabitants,” said Molly Odell, Director of Archaeology at the Alutiiq Museum.

To verify the age of the site, archaeologists conducted radiocarbon dating on two separate samples of charcoal, both producing consistent results. “We are confident the hearth was used around 7,800 years ago,” Odell added, “making it the oldest confirmed settlement on Kodiak Island.”

Why This Discovery Matters

Alutiiq Museum Curator of Archaeology Patrick Saltonstall emphasized that early settlers along Alaska’s Gulf Coast may have reached Kodiak much earlier than previously documented. “People were living in coastal Alaska at least 10,000 years ago,” he said.

“It makes sense that Kodiak, with its rich maritime resources, would have been settled early, even if evidence has been difficult to locate due to coastal erosion and changing sea levels.”



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



Trevor Lamb excavates a small cobble hearth at the Alagnaruartuliq site. Charcoal from this feature dated to about 7800 years ago. Credit: Alutiiq Museum
Trevor Lamb excavates a small cobble hearth at the Alagnaruartuliq site. Charcoal from this feature dated to about 7800 years ago. Credit: Alutiiq Museum

Kodiak Island’s Interior: A Critical Habitat

The Alagnaruartuliq site, meaning “lots of kinds of berries” in the Alutiiq language, highlights the importance of Kodiak Island’s interior, not just its coastal areas. Archaeological surveys suggest early inhabitants used river valleys, salmon streams, meadows, and alpine areas intensively for fishing, hunting, and gathering.

“Researchers have long focused on Kodiak’s coast, but the interior was equally critical for early human survival,” said Amy Steffian, Chief Curator at the Alutiiq Museum. “This site confirms that Alutiiq ancestors exploited inland resources from the very beginning of settlement.”

Hunting and Gathering 7,800 Years Ago

Although salmon populations in the region stabilized and grew after 6,300 years ago, early Karluk Lake visitors likely hunted waterfowl, foxes, river otters, and bears. They also gathered plant foods from Kodiak’s abundant interior ecosystems.

These findings illustrate a diversified subsistence strategy used by Alutiiq ancestors long before the arrival of more recent communities.


Patrick Saltonstall holds a stone blade from the oldest level of Alagnaruartuliq site. Credit: Alutiiq Museum
Patrick Saltonstall holds a stone blade from the oldest level of Alagnaruartuliq site. Credit: Alutiiq Museum

Continuing Research at Karluk Lake

This summer, the Alutiiq Museum launched a new season of archaeological research at Karluk Lake, focusing on a 1,500-year-old settlement. While researchers do not expect to find another early settlement, Saltonstall remains optimistic: “Archaeology is full of surprises. Each new site can teach us more about the earliest people on Kodiak Island.”

Alutiiq Museum Executive Director April Laktonen Counceller emphasized the importance of preserving and studying these sites. “Every artifact we document adds to our understanding of Alutiiq history and culture,” she said. The museum’s research is supported by Koniag and the National Park Service’s Alaska Native Tribal Affairs and Heritage Assistance Programs.

About the Alutiiq Museum

The Alutiiq Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the history and culture of the Alutiiq, an Alaska Native tribal people. Governed by representatives of Kodiak Alutiiq organizations, the museum relies on donations, memberships, grants, contracts, and sales to fund its programs and research initiatives.

Alutiiq Museum

Cover Image Credit: Alutiiq Museum

Related Articles

Roman era total of 46 early settler burials discovered in Germany

17 September 2023

17 September 2023

Students from Goethe University Frankfurt, in collaboration with the Hesse archeology department at the Darmstadt branch of the State Monument...

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...

Unprecedented 1800-year-old marble bathtub recovered in Turkey

23 April 2022

23 April 2022

The 1800-year-old marble bathtub, which was seized when it was about to be sold by historical artifact smugglers in Aydın’s...

Ancient Warrior Vessel Discovered at Chankillo, The Oldest Solar Observatory in the Americas

1 September 2025

1 September 2025

Archaeologists have uncovered a fragmented vessel depicting a warrior at Chankillo, the oldest solar observatory in the Americas, located in...

World’s Oldest Architectural House Model from 12,000-Year-Old Çayönü Hill Now on Display in Türkiye

6 July 2025

6 July 2025

Unearthed at the 12,000-year-old Çayönü Hill, the world’s oldest architectural house model is now on display at the Diyarbakır Museum,...

Scientists have discovered an ancient cemetery of flying reptiles roaming the Atacama desert of Chile 100 million years ago

7 April 2022

7 April 2022

In Chile, an unusual cemetery has been discovered that contains the well-preserved remains of prehistoric flying reptiles that flew over...

Britain’s Hidden Treasures: The Pieces of Rare Iron Age Helmet Found at Snettisham

19 January 2025

19 January 2025

Thanks to advanced scientific testing, the copper alloy fragments unearthed at Snettisham, Norfolk, at one of Britain’s most significant archaeological...

Anatolia’s largest olive oil factory unearthed

14 January 2022

14 January 2022

A Roman-era olive oil factory has been unearthed during excavations in the İskenderun district of Hatay. It has been reported...

Archaeologists unearth the Torah Ark of the Great Synagogue of Vilna, destroyed in Lithuania

30 August 2021

30 August 2021

In Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, in excavation exposed the Torah ark and bimah (raised prayer platform) of the Great...

New research determines portable toilets of the ancient Roman world

11 February 2022

11 February 2022

New research published today reveals how archeologists can determine when a pot was used by Romans as a portable toilet,...

Name of Iranian city identified on 1800-year-old Sassanid clay seal

9 April 2024

9 April 2024

In a stunning archaeological find, the name “Shiraz” was identified on a clay sealing from the Sassanid era written in...

Archaeologists have found an intriguing Iron Age “shrine” in the Yorkshire Wolds

19 September 2021

19 September 2021

Archaeologists have discovered an interesting ancient Iron Age “shrine” in the Yorkshire Wolds, which was marked out by meticulously placed...

New suspect in greatest act of vandalism in the history of dinosaur study

29 May 2023

29 May 2023

Researchers from the University of Bristol are rewriting the history of paleontology’s darkest and most bizarre event. Vandals with sledgehammers...

Skeleton Of “Spanish Monk” in Palace of Cortés Turns Out To Be An Aztec Woman

26 January 2024

26 January 2024

Recent research at the Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca, Mexico, has revealed a grave historical error. For 50 years, it...

Two Infant burials found under prehistoric “Dragon Stone” in Armenia

4 June 2024

4 June 2024

An international team of researchers has unearthed the remains of an adult woman and two infants buried under a basalt...