Evgenia Anichtchenko | Smithsonian Institution (original) (raw)
Papers by Evgenia Anichtchenko
Alaska Park Science, 2008
https://envisioning-alaska.org/, 2017
Until the voyages of Vitus Bering in 1741, Alaska remained a blank spot on maps and in the Europe... more Until the voyages of Vitus Bering in 1741, Alaska remained a blank spot on maps and in the European imagination. Capturing this unknown world in images, words and charts was the first call of business for the early Russian explorers. From 1743 until 1867, over a dozen artists travelled to Alaska on voyages sponsored by the Russian Crown and the Russian-American Company. Their pencils and brushes captured peoples and places of Alaska, but also reflected their personalities and time they lived in.
This project grew from questions of value and meaning of the artistic legacy of Russian America. Images created during the Russian voyages of exploration to Alaska are typically referred to as expedition art, and are treated as a scientific and ethnographic record - a faithful representation of their subject, and thus a reliable historic source. Indeed, the accuracy of representation was one of the main requirements. In the words of a President of the Russian Academy of Art Alexei Olenin, who recommended artists for Russian round-the-world voyages, their mission was to produce the “perfect likeness of the nature without adding any imagination.” Yet these images are not impersonal reproductions of life. Each reflects the individuality of its creator, his personal experiences, and style. Each encompasses the moment of encounter between two very different worlds. Despite their best efforts, the artists did not “copy” Alaska, they envisioned it. Their images are cultural palimpsests containing many layers of information both about the subject of artwork and the historical context in which they were created.
Even more layers of meanings evolved once these images reached larger audiences. Published in the accounts of scientific expeditions, this artwork captivated readers in Russia, the US and Europe, and “delivered” Alaska to the world’s capitals, thousands of miles away, shaping public and political opinions about this land and forging powerful perceptions about its cultural and socio-political identity. It can be argued, that the very concept that the vast expanse of land from Chukchi Sea to Sitka inhabited by dozens of Native nations could be seen as one socio-political unit was introduced and defined by the colonial efforts of the Russian American Company. Along with maps and political statements, the artistic record was instrumental in delivering this concept. Depicting Alaska’s varied natural settings and a wide array of Native cultures, the artists of Russian America projected an image of imressive diversity and richness, and at the same time presented it as a single entity. The cumulative effect of these images went far beyond a mere collection of exotic views and portraits – it formed a powerful concept of Alaska as a place that despite its environmental and cultural diversity had a shared identity and a geographical, political and cultural entity. In many ways, this vision of Alaska as a multi-cultural unity remains at the core of the modern identity of the state.
The collection of images presented here is not a comprehensive body of all artwork created during the time when Russia called Alaska its land. Rather, this is a visual guide to the images of this period and the artists who created them. In selecting the images the preference was given to the representation of people, places, and objects which can enhance understanding of cultural history of Alaska. Drawings and watercolors of flora and fauna, although both beautiful and informative, were not included. Images of coastline recorded for navigational purposes are represented by just a few examples.
Images are organized in two ways: artwork following individual artists biographies introduces personal artistic accomplishments, while the interactive map allows for review of representation of particular geographical locations. The ultimate goal of this project is to foster understanding and appreciation of the artistic legacy of Russian America and to make this legacy more accessible for both scholars and general public. This project was supported in part by the Alaska Historical Commission and the State of Alaska Office of History and Archaeology.
St. Lawrence Island kayaks are absent in both museum collections and written historical sources. ... more St. Lawrence Island kayaks are absent in both museum collections and written historical sources. At
the same time, the pictorial record, indigenous oral lore, and archaeological data point to uninterrupted
use of kayaks well into the beginning of the twentieth century. Drawing on the analysis of kayak data from four archaeological sites, this article reconstructs structural details and discusses the history of the St. Lawrence kayak over the last millennium; it also analyzes the values of these data for understanding prehistoric maritime networks of the Bering Sea.
For thousands of years sails propelled the history of many civilizations. While it is commonly ac... more For thousands of years sails propelled the history of many civilizations. While it is commonly accepted that the invention of sails as a general technological concept was a global event that occurred in different places at different times, and was not necessarily a result of diffusion, the origin of this technology in indigenous Arctic and subarctic regions remains an open question. Yet, as a technology that greatly facilitates travel, the sail implies the possibility of long-distance voyaging and as such can theoretically be a factor in large-scale movements of peoples, commodities and ideas across the Arctic. The goal of this article is to review historical, ethnographic and archaeological data in order to clarify the state of current knowledge about indigenous Arctic sailing technology, and to encourage further interest and research. This review is specifically focused on the Arctic and subarctic zones of North America.
The Alaska Journal of Anthropology is seeking submissions for a special thematic issue, focusing ... more The Alaska Journal of Anthropology is seeking submissions for a special thematic issue, focusing on maritime archaeology and anthropology of Alaska and the circumpolar North. Original and previously unpublished articles relating to underwater and maritime archaeology, indigenous seafaring and watercraft, maritime history, and human interaction with the aquatic environment are welcomed.
Rossiskaya Akademia Nauk, Sbornik muzeya antropologii i etnografii. (Russian Academy of Sciences, Journal of the Museum of History and Ethnography, St. Petersburg, Russia), 2010
Alaska Journal of Anthropology, Volume 11, Numbers 1& 2, 2013
In August 2007, a whalebone mask was excavated from a 3,000-year-old settlement site in the easte... more In August 2007, a whalebone mask was excavated from a 3,000-year-old settlement site in the eastern Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Although wooden masks are ethnographically common and well-documented from most other regions of coastal Alaska, examples made from bone or other materials are quite rare. The uses and signifi cance of prehistoric masks are diffi cult to ascertain. Russians, the fi rst Europeans to visit the Aleutian Islands, recorded ritual and ceremonial use of masks by indigenous inhabitants during the latter half of the eighteenth century. Ceremonial mask use is also known from related cultures, especially Yup'ik and Inupiat Eskimos as well as Sugpiaq peoples (Kodiak Islanders). This investigation describes the Amaknak mask and the circumstances of its discovery, and draws on comparative material from local and neighboring regions for analysis and interpretation of the mask. Although conclusions remain speculative, the Amaknak mask likely offers a glimpse at prehistoric Aleutian ritual and spiritual life.
Springer Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology , Jan 2014
Сборник музея антропологии и этнографии "Этнография и археология коренного населения Америки" Санкт Петербург, Наука, 2010
Этнография и археология коренного населения Америки: сборник музея антропологии и этнографии имени Петра Великого; Санкт Петербург, Наука, 2010
Вспомогательные исторические дисциплиныб XXVIII, Российская Академия Наук, саект-Петербург, 2002
Etudes Inuit Studies 2012, 36 (1):157-181
Изучение памятников морской археологии, Выпуск 7 (Maritime Archaeology Study, # 7), 2013
Arctic Studies Center newsletter, march 2013, Mar 2013
Over Near Horizon: proceedings of the 2010 International Conference on Russian America, 2013
Mains'l Haul, A journal of Pacific Maritime History, Vol 44:3&4, 2008
Alaska Park Science, 2008
https://envisioning-alaska.org/, 2017
Until the voyages of Vitus Bering in 1741, Alaska remained a blank spot on maps and in the Europe... more Until the voyages of Vitus Bering in 1741, Alaska remained a blank spot on maps and in the European imagination. Capturing this unknown world in images, words and charts was the first call of business for the early Russian explorers. From 1743 until 1867, over a dozen artists travelled to Alaska on voyages sponsored by the Russian Crown and the Russian-American Company. Their pencils and brushes captured peoples and places of Alaska, but also reflected their personalities and time they lived in.
This project grew from questions of value and meaning of the artistic legacy of Russian America. Images created during the Russian voyages of exploration to Alaska are typically referred to as expedition art, and are treated as a scientific and ethnographic record - a faithful representation of their subject, and thus a reliable historic source. Indeed, the accuracy of representation was one of the main requirements. In the words of a President of the Russian Academy of Art Alexei Olenin, who recommended artists for Russian round-the-world voyages, their mission was to produce the “perfect likeness of the nature without adding any imagination.” Yet these images are not impersonal reproductions of life. Each reflects the individuality of its creator, his personal experiences, and style. Each encompasses the moment of encounter between two very different worlds. Despite their best efforts, the artists did not “copy” Alaska, they envisioned it. Their images are cultural palimpsests containing many layers of information both about the subject of artwork and the historical context in which they were created.
Even more layers of meanings evolved once these images reached larger audiences. Published in the accounts of scientific expeditions, this artwork captivated readers in Russia, the US and Europe, and “delivered” Alaska to the world’s capitals, thousands of miles away, shaping public and political opinions about this land and forging powerful perceptions about its cultural and socio-political identity. It can be argued, that the very concept that the vast expanse of land from Chukchi Sea to Sitka inhabited by dozens of Native nations could be seen as one socio-political unit was introduced and defined by the colonial efforts of the Russian American Company. Along with maps and political statements, the artistic record was instrumental in delivering this concept. Depicting Alaska’s varied natural settings and a wide array of Native cultures, the artists of Russian America projected an image of imressive diversity and richness, and at the same time presented it as a single entity. The cumulative effect of these images went far beyond a mere collection of exotic views and portraits – it formed a powerful concept of Alaska as a place that despite its environmental and cultural diversity had a shared identity and a geographical, political and cultural entity. In many ways, this vision of Alaska as a multi-cultural unity remains at the core of the modern identity of the state.
The collection of images presented here is not a comprehensive body of all artwork created during the time when Russia called Alaska its land. Rather, this is a visual guide to the images of this period and the artists who created them. In selecting the images the preference was given to the representation of people, places, and objects which can enhance understanding of cultural history of Alaska. Drawings and watercolors of flora and fauna, although both beautiful and informative, were not included. Images of coastline recorded for navigational purposes are represented by just a few examples.
Images are organized in two ways: artwork following individual artists biographies introduces personal artistic accomplishments, while the interactive map allows for review of representation of particular geographical locations. The ultimate goal of this project is to foster understanding and appreciation of the artistic legacy of Russian America and to make this legacy more accessible for both scholars and general public. This project was supported in part by the Alaska Historical Commission and the State of Alaska Office of History and Archaeology.
St. Lawrence Island kayaks are absent in both museum collections and written historical sources. ... more St. Lawrence Island kayaks are absent in both museum collections and written historical sources. At
the same time, the pictorial record, indigenous oral lore, and archaeological data point to uninterrupted
use of kayaks well into the beginning of the twentieth century. Drawing on the analysis of kayak data from four archaeological sites, this article reconstructs structural details and discusses the history of the St. Lawrence kayak over the last millennium; it also analyzes the values of these data for understanding prehistoric maritime networks of the Bering Sea.
For thousands of years sails propelled the history of many civilizations. While it is commonly ac... more For thousands of years sails propelled the history of many civilizations. While it is commonly accepted that the invention of sails as a general technological concept was a global event that occurred in different places at different times, and was not necessarily a result of diffusion, the origin of this technology in indigenous Arctic and subarctic regions remains an open question. Yet, as a technology that greatly facilitates travel, the sail implies the possibility of long-distance voyaging and as such can theoretically be a factor in large-scale movements of peoples, commodities and ideas across the Arctic. The goal of this article is to review historical, ethnographic and archaeological data in order to clarify the state of current knowledge about indigenous Arctic sailing technology, and to encourage further interest and research. This review is specifically focused on the Arctic and subarctic zones of North America.
The Alaska Journal of Anthropology is seeking submissions for a special thematic issue, focusing ... more The Alaska Journal of Anthropology is seeking submissions for a special thematic issue, focusing on maritime archaeology and anthropology of Alaska and the circumpolar North. Original and previously unpublished articles relating to underwater and maritime archaeology, indigenous seafaring and watercraft, maritime history, and human interaction with the aquatic environment are welcomed.
Rossiskaya Akademia Nauk, Sbornik muzeya antropologii i etnografii. (Russian Academy of Sciences, Journal of the Museum of History and Ethnography, St. Petersburg, Russia), 2010
Alaska Journal of Anthropology, Volume 11, Numbers 1& 2, 2013
In August 2007, a whalebone mask was excavated from a 3,000-year-old settlement site in the easte... more In August 2007, a whalebone mask was excavated from a 3,000-year-old settlement site in the eastern Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Although wooden masks are ethnographically common and well-documented from most other regions of coastal Alaska, examples made from bone or other materials are quite rare. The uses and signifi cance of prehistoric masks are diffi cult to ascertain. Russians, the fi rst Europeans to visit the Aleutian Islands, recorded ritual and ceremonial use of masks by indigenous inhabitants during the latter half of the eighteenth century. Ceremonial mask use is also known from related cultures, especially Yup'ik and Inupiat Eskimos as well as Sugpiaq peoples (Kodiak Islanders). This investigation describes the Amaknak mask and the circumstances of its discovery, and draws on comparative material from local and neighboring regions for analysis and interpretation of the mask. Although conclusions remain speculative, the Amaknak mask likely offers a glimpse at prehistoric Aleutian ritual and spiritual life.
Springer Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology , Jan 2014
Сборник музея антропологии и этнографии "Этнография и археология коренного населения Америки" Санкт Петербург, Наука, 2010
Этнография и археология коренного населения Америки: сборник музея антропологии и этнографии имени Петра Великого; Санкт Петербург, Наука, 2010
Вспомогательные исторические дисциплиныб XXVIII, Российская Академия Наук, саект-Петербург, 2002
Etudes Inuit Studies 2012, 36 (1):157-181
Изучение памятников морской археологии, Выпуск 7 (Maritime Archaeology Study, # 7), 2013
Arctic Studies Center newsletter, march 2013, Mar 2013
Over Near Horizon: proceedings of the 2010 International Conference on Russian America, 2013
Mains'l Haul, A journal of Pacific Maritime History, Vol 44:3&4, 2008
paper presented at the Maritime Ventures symposium, Trondheim, Norway, October 2, 2013
Umiak story: from a Chukchi Sea village to the archaeological record and back In 1953 while exc... more Umiak story: from a Chukchi Sea village to the archaeological record and back
In 1953 while excavating the Piġniq (Birnirk) site near Point Barrow, Alaska, Wilbert Carter came across a set of wooden artifacts. Indiscriminately labeled as “boat parts” or “umiak and kayak fragments”, these artifacts were collected and preserved as a part of what is now known as the Birnirk collection. The close examination of these fragments reveals that they are parts of a single umiak frame assemblage, which is seemingly different from both contemporary Barrow umiaks and ethnographic evidence pertaining to Chukchi Sea boat building tradition. Skin boat assemblages are rare in circumpolar archaeological records. Even more unique is the situation when such an archaeological record comes from a community still engaged in skin boat building. This talk presents the Birnirk umiak finds in the synergetic context of two overlapping traditions: scientific archaeological analysis and the intellectual and cultural response of the Iñupiaq community of Barrow, Alaska.
For most indigenous people of the Arctic the first contact with European and American explorers, ... more For most indigenous people of the Arctic the first contact with European and American explorers, traders and whalers was a maritime affair. First greetings and trade goods between Native inhabitants and non-native newcomers were often passed between the skin boats and the decks of ships. Although dates of this contact differ from one Arctic nation to another, the results were often the same. Carrying new technology, resources and culture, European and American shipping and ships themselves significantly altered both the social and physical landscapes of the Arctic.
At the same time, once inserted into the indigenous landscapes, the ships also acquired new meanings and uses, especially after their abandonment or wrecking. Ships were seen as both similar and different to the Native boats. Just like skin boats they were perceived as animated objects or beings with their own needs, including deposition of their “remains.” In the holistic indigenous worldview this deposition was both functional and ritualistic, which is reflected in how the ship wreckage was used. Using the site of the 1871 Chukchi Sea maritime whaling disaster as a case study this presentation discusses the impact of a large shipwreck event on an Arctic community and the perception of the Euro-American ship as it is reflected in the use of wreckage remains.
In early September of 1871, a fleet of 32 whaling ships became trapped and abandoned between the icepack and the Chukchi Sea coast near Point Franklin, Alaska. All but one were crushed by the ice, providing local Inupiat communities with a wealth of resources, which in turn affected the settlement distribution, house architecture and even changes in subsistence technology. Shipwreck remains are still present and prominent in the local landscape. The paper draws on the results of three archaeological seasons (2005, 2007 and 2008), as well as interviews with local elders and traditional Arctic boat lore.
The Bering Sea has one of the richest and most varied traditions of indigenous kayaks in the enti... more The Bering Sea has one of the richest and most varied traditions of indigenous kayaks in the entire circumpolar north. Eight ethnographic kayak variants are distinguished, representing all indigenous coastal nations of Alaska except for two – the St. Lawrence and Diomede islanders. St. Lawrence kayaks are absent in both museum collections and written historical sources. At the same time, the pictorial record, indigenous oral lore and archaeological data point to uninterrupted use of kayaks well into the beginning of the twentieth century. Drawing on the analysis of kayak data from four archaeological sites, this presentation reconstructs structural details and discusses history of the St. Lawrence kayak over the last millennium and analyses the values of these data for understanding prehistoric maritime networks of the Bering Sea.
The Bering Sea has one of the richest and most varied traditions of indigenous kayaks in the enti... more The Bering Sea has one of the richest and most varied traditions of indigenous kayaks in the entire circumpolar north. Eight ethnographic kayak variants are distinguished, representing all indigenous coastal nations of Alaska except for two – the St. Lawrence and Diomede islanders. St. Lawrence kayaks are absent in both museum collections and written historical sources. At the same time, the pictorial record, indigenous oral lore and archaeological data point to uninterrupted use of kayaks well into the beginning of the twentieth century. Drawing on the analysis of kayak data from four archaeological sites, this presentation reconstructs structural details and discusses history of the St. Lawrence kayak over the last millennium and analyses the values of these data for understanding prehistoric maritime networks of the Bering Sea.
Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy OPEN PASSAGE: ETHNO-ARCHAEOLOGY OF SKIN BOATS AND I... more Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
OPEN PASSAGE: ETHNO-ARCHAEOLOGY OF SKIN BOATS AND INDIGENEOUS MARITIME MOBILITY OF NORTH-AMERICAN ARCTIC
Evguenia V. Anichtchenko
This thesis is an examination of prehistoric maritime mobility in the Arctic regions of North America through the ethno-archaeological analysis of skin boats. Covering over 100,000 km of coastline, the skin boat traditions of the Arctic and Subarctic zones are arguably among the most expansive watercraft technologies in the world, dating back at least 10,000 years. Despite the considerable material record generated by this geographically and chronologically extended use, and the potential this record contains for understanding Arctic maritime mobility, skin boat datasets are rarely considered in scholarly discussions on prehistoric exchanges and population movement. This study aims at closing this gap by focusing on the skin boat record as a key dataset for assessing the scale, nature and significance of maritime mobility in the North-American Arctic. The analysis of particular regional trends and cross-regional patterns is based on review of three case studies. Moving west to east this review starts in the Bering Strait region with a particular focus on the Kukulik site on St. Lawrence Island. Maritime mobility in the Chukchi Sea region is assessed through the archaeological assembly of the Birnirk site near Point Barrow, Alaska. The third case study is focused on the Qariaraqyuk site on Somerset Island, extending the geography of the research to the Central Canadian Arctic. Individual boat parts and the information they provide for reconstructing complete watercraft are analyzed along with the boat fragment frequency and spatial distribution. This provides understanding of the statistical and social makeup of seafaring in Arctic North America, of the logistics of maritime mobility, of the larger scale cross-regional and chronological patterns of skin boat design and use, and, ultimately, of the role of seafaring in constructing cultural landscapes of the prehistoric Arctic.
In July of 2017 the Sitka Maritime heritage Society led underwater exploration of reported underw... more In July of 2017 the Sitka Maritime heritage Society led underwater exploration of reported underwater targets in redoubt Lake, near Sitka, Alaska. The exploration revealed material culture likely associated with the Russian use of this area between 1807 and 1867.