Ice Patch Archeology Resource Brief - National Park Service

Ice patches develop at high elevations when snow and ice accumulate to levels that do not completely melt in the summer. Over years, the patches become stable ... SkiptoglobalNPSnavigation Skiptomaincontent Skiptofooter NationalParkServiceLogo NationalParkService Search ThisSite AllNPS Search Open Menu ExploreThisPark × ContactUs BackgroundInformation Icepatcharcheologiststakecoresamplestodatetheice.ThedeepestpartsofGlacier’sicepatchesareover6,000years-old.NPS Threats Icepatchmeltisanissuewithbothecologicalandculturalimplications.Theimpendinglossoftheseicepatcheswilluncoverancientplantandanimalremainsthatcouldtellusaboutpastclimates,aswellasvaluableNativeAmericanartifactsfromtheregion’stribes.Theicepatcheshavekepttheseotherwiseperishableobjectsfrozenintime,butwhentheicemeltstheywillbeexposedtotheelementsforthefirsttimeincenturies.Ifthesefragileobjectsarenotswiftlyretrievedbyarcheologists,theycouldrapidlydeteriorate.Otherthreatsincludeanimaldisturbanceandillegalhumancollection.Becauseartifactsareveryfragileandtheirlocationsarecrucialtotheirscientificvalue,itisimportantforvisitorsnottotouchdiscoveredartifacts,andtoreportdiscoveriestoaparkemployee. Icepatchesdevelopathighelevationswhensnowandiceaccumulatetolevelsthatdonotcompletelymeltinthesummer.Overyears,thepatchesbecomestableandthesnowturnsintolow-densityice.Itemsdepositedonanicepatchbywind,animals,orhumanscanbefrozenforcenturies.Unlikeglaciers,icepatchesdonotmoveatall,soencasedobjectsremaininthesamespot.Researchersstudyingicepatchesidentifyanddocumentartifactsandorganicmaterialsleftbehindastheicemelts.Suchfindscanincludeanimalbonesandscat,leavesdepositedbywind,fragmentsofancientwood,andlostNativeAmericanartifacts. Unlikeotherarcheologicalsites,icepatchescanbringmorerecentobjectstothesamelevelasolderonesbyintermittentlymelting.Becauseofthis,inasinglesummerameltingicepatchcanreleaseartifactsthatoriginatedcenturiesapart.Recoveredartifactsandorganicmaterialshelptoillustratetheclimateandhumanuseattheicepatchinprevioustimes.Studyingicepatchesandtheircontentsisatrulyinterdisciplinarypursuit,involvingclimatescience,archeology,paleoecology,ethnography,andtraditionaltribalknowledge.Ancientorganicmatterrevealsthemakeupofvanishedecosystems,whilehumanartifactshelpshedlightonhowpeopleinteractedwiththeland. NativeAmericanhuntersknewthatbiggamefrequentedtheseicepatchesforrefugefromheatandinsects,andthaticepatchesweredependablehuntingspots.ObjectsfoundatarcheologicalsitesthroughoutNorthAmericaincludespearpoints,arrowshafts,andleatherleggings. StatusandTrends From2009-2013,acollaborativeresearchteaminvestigated46ofGlacierNationalPark’sicepatches.TheGlacierNationalParkIcePatchProject’spurposewastodocumenticepatchmelting,collectremainsofancientplantsandanimals,andtoprotectNativeAmericanculturalartifactsassociatedwithhuntingandtravelinGlacier’shigh-elevationregions. IcepatchesinGlacierNationalParkweredatedbytakingicecoresamples.Resultsindicatethaticeatthebottomofthepatchescouldbeover6,000yearsold.Thismeansthatthedeepestpartsofanicepatchhavebeenfrozenformillennia,andmaysoonmeltcompletelyforthefirsttimesincetheirinitialformation. DuringtheirinvestigationofGlacierNationalPark’sicepatches,theresearchteamdidnotlocateanyhumanartifacts.Theteamwasonlyabletoinvestigateasmallpercentageofthepark’sicepatches,andtheexistenceofhumanartifactsinothericepatchesisstilllikely.Theresearchersdid,however,findpaleoecologicalmaterials—ancientwoodfragments,leaves,andfeces—thatrangedfrom5,300years-oldto160years-old,accordingtoradiocarbondating.Someofthewoodfragmentscollectedwereyew,aspeciesnolongerfoundinGlacier’shighcountry,suggestingthatperhapsthisspeciesonceexistedathigherelevationswhentheclimatewaswarmer.Theresearchteamalsofoundthefirstconfirmedevidenceofbisoninthehighmountainsofthepark. GlacierNationalParkiswellknownforitsmeltingglaciers.Increasingtemperatureshavereducedthe150estimatedglaciersin1850tojust25today.Icepatchesaremeltingtoo;currentestimatespredictthateventuallyallperennialicepatcheswillbelostasannualtemperaturesincrease.Astheicepatchesmelt,moreobjectswillbeuncovered,makingcontinuedmonitoringincreasinglyimportant. Discoveredin2012,thesebisonremainsarethefirstconfirmedmaterialevidenceofbisoninthehighmountainsofGlacierNationalPark.NPS ManagementStrategy OftheGlacierIcePatchProject’ssuccesses,perhapsthelongestlastingwillbetheestablishmentoffieldandlaboratoryprotocolsforrecovery,handling,analysis,anddocumentationofNativeAmericanartifacts.Ablendofscienceandtribalheritagevalues,theseprotocolsweredevelopedincloseconsultationwithtribalpartnersandarenowusedforalldiscoverysituationsinGlacierNationalPark.InrecognitionoftherobustcollaborationbetweentheNationalParkServiceandtribalanduniversitypartners,theDepartmentofInteriorawardedtheGlacierIcePatchProjectthe2012PartnersinConservationAward. Inordertoeducatethepubliconicepatcharcheology,researchersandGlacierNationalParkstaffaredevelopinginterpretivematerials,includingawebsite,incoordinationwiththeConfederatedSalishandKootenaiTribesandtheBlackfeetNation.Asfundingpermits,theparkwillcontinuetotargeticepatchesforarcheologicalsurvey,particularlyduringhighmeltyears. ResourcesforMoreInformation GlacierNationalParkStaff SierraMandelko,CulturalResourcesSpecialist/Archeologist TaraCarolin,Director,CrownoftheContinentResearchLearningCenter Documentsandwebsites GlacierIcePatchArcheologyandPaleoecologyProject–www.glaciericepatch.org CraigM.LeeandOthers.2014.IcePatchArchaeologyinWesternNorthAmerica.TheArchaeologicalRecord.14(2):pp.15-19.www.saa.org/Portals/0/SAA/Publications/thesaaarchrec/March_2014.pdf NationalParkServiceArcheologyProgramfeature–www.nps.gov/archeology/sites/npsites/glacierIcePatch TheCrownoftheContinentResearchLearningCenter Phone:406-888-5827;Email:[email protected] Website:www.nps.gov/rlc/crown Downloadablepdf IcePatchArcheologyResourceBrief(191KB) YouMightAlsoLike Loadingresults... Tags glaciernationalpark archeology ice paleoecology fieldwork ccrlc resourcebrief climatechange GlacierNationalPark