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Deputy Chair I Maribeth Murray
Dept. of Anthropology
University of Alaska-Fairbanks
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Archaeological sources of environmental, social and cultural data are frequently overlooked in broad arctic science initiatives, including those that have an applied component. Yet in many recent national and international science plans and initiatives understanding past arctic states, including human dimension, these sources identified as critical for developing accurate projections of future changes and for managing and adapting to change. Outside of the polar regions, archaeology has shown it’s potential for illumination of global and regional environmental change events, particularly with respect to changes in ecosystems, upper trophic levels, and human systems.
Arctic archaeological sites, especially those that are permafrozen, contain a wealth of baseline biological and downscale climatological data in the form of preserved flora, fauna and in sediments. Archaeological time series can be used for developing downscale models of changes in arctic ecosystems and ecosystem services. These data are necessary for developing effective local and regional scale climate change remediation strategies, ecosystem restoration activities and management practices.
The Polar Archaeology Network (PAN), encompassing Arctic, Subarctic, and Subantarctic archaeology, is a forum to meet the need for addressing scientific issues, research policies, education, public outreach, cultural heritage and other questions relating to archaeology and early history of the Arctic and Antarctic.
Chairman I Hans Peter Blankholm
Deputy Chair I Maribeth Murray