Abstract

With their excellent preservational environment, southern Yukon alpine ice patches featuring ancient caribou dung are incredible sources of rare ancient hunting artifacts and paleo-ecological information for the Holocene period. Year 2000 ice patch field-work focused on establishing which of the over 70 identified patches are archaeological sites, the collection of archaeological specimens and biological samples, and the stratigraphic sampling of in-situ organic materials at reference patches. Survey for new patches and understanding the spatial distribution of the phenomenon were concerns as well.