The Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository's archaeologists have discovered pieces of woven grass relics that are thought to be 3,000 years old. The extraordinary artifacts were discovered on August 18, 2023, during excavations of an ancient sod home on Kodiak Island, Alaska's Karluk Lake, which were financed by Koniag. The remnants, which resemble sections of mats, are the earliest known examples of weaving in Kodiak Alutiiq/Sugpiaq. They were kept alive by an unusual set of circumstances. explained Patrick Saltonstall, curator of archaeology at the Alutiiq Museum.
Fragments of a ca. 3,000-year-old woven grass mat recovered from an ancestral Alutiiq house beside Karluk Lake.
“We were excavating a sod house beside Karluk Lake as part of a broader study to understand how Alutiiq people used Kodiak’s interior,” explained Saltonstall. “When we reached the floor, we discovered that the house had burned and collapsed. The walls of the structure, which were lined with wood, fell into the building and covered a portion of the floor. This sealed the floor quickly and limited burning. As we removed the remains of the walls, we were surprised and excited to find fragments of charred weaving. It looks like the house had grass mats on the floor. The pieces covered about a two-meter area at the back of the house, perhaps in an area for sleeping.”
Alutiiq weaving has a lengthy history, but it is challenging to record archaeologically because fiber items are delicate and infrequently survived. Grass and spruce root baskets up to 600 years old can be found in the large archaeological holdings of the Alutiiq Museum, but nothing older. Radiocarbon dating revealed that the weaving-producing house was roughly 3,000 years old. This conclusion is supported by the architectural design of the structure and the items discovered nearby.
“It is likely that our ancestors worked with plant fibers for millennia, from the time they arrived on Kodiak 7500 years ago,” said April Laktonen Counceller, executive director of the museum. “It makes sense. Plants are abundant and easily harvested, and they are excellent materials for making containers, mats, and other useful items. It’s just very hard to document this practice. This wonderful find extends our knowledge of Alutiiq weaving back an additional 2400 years.”
A closer look at the weaving remnants reveals that the warp, or long parallel strands of grass, was placed down first, followed by the weft, or perpendicular rows of twining, which were spaced approximately an inch apart. This method produced an open weave similar to that of vintage Alutiiq grass matting. The completed edge of a mat may be little pieces of more intricate braiding.
In order to carry the delicate woven remnants back to Kodiak and the Alutiiq Museum's laboratory, the field team gently removed them off the sod house's floor and placed them in a specially built box. Here, they will be kept, documented, and made available for research as a loan from Koniag, the study's sponsor and the local Alaska Native Corporation for the Kodiak Alutiiq people. The business owns the property where the excavation took place and has generously supported local archaeological research.
“Discoveries like these highlight our Alutiiq people’s innovation and resilience,” said Koniag President Shauna Hegna. “Koniag is humbled to partner with the Alutiiq Museum on critical projects like this.”
The non-profit Alutiiq Museum is devoted to preserving and disseminating the history and culture of the Alutiiq, an Alaska Native tribe. The museum is governed by members of Kodiak Alutiiq organizations and is supported through donations to charities, membership fees, grants, contracts, and sales.
