There are no bears on most of the Aleutians Islands today. But a new study reveals that bears likely lived in Unalaska and Amaknak Island thousands of years ago, solving a decades-long archaeological mystery.
In the early 2000s, archeologists found bones from brown bears and polar bear bones at two dig sites: the Margaret Bay Site on Amaknak Island and the Amaknak Bridge Site on Unalaska Island. But there aren’t any bears on those islands now, and there are no historical records of bears living there.
So how did the bones get there?
Researchers now say the bears likely traveled to the central Aleutian Islands region around the Neoglacial climate phase — from about 5,000 to 3,000 years ago — when sea ice was present in the region.
The bear bones were found in historical dump sites used by Unangax̂ people thousands of years ago. According to carbon dating, the polar bear bones are about 5,500 years old and the brown bear bones are about 3,000 to 5,500 years old.
An older theory suggested the bear meat with bones could have been traded and transported by the Unangax̂ people living on Unalaska and Amaknak Island from distant places that do have bears – like from Unimak Island, the Alaska Peninsula and the Kodiak archipelago. But scientists now think that likely wasn’t the case, for a number of reasons.
The first is language. Unangax̂ people have words to describe different species of bears in Unangam Tunuu. The Aleut Dictionary provides terms for white bear, in both the eastern and western dialects, as well as ice bear and black bear. Scientists said this indicates people in the region were familiar with the bears. The study also added that bear stories and legends have been recorded in the Aleutians.
Another clue: The bones had butchery patterns, suggesting they were harvested locally.
According to the study, bears historically were usually skinned and butchered immediately after death to avoid carcass decay and damage to the bear's skin and fur. Many of the found bear bones have cut marks showing signs of skinning, disarticulation and meat removal.
Researchers also discovered bones from cubs, which indicates female bears with their young were living nearby. The study said female bears with dependent cubs don't travel far.
Scientists said further DNA research and ethnohistory are needed to better understand the ancient bear population that once inhabited Unalaska and Amaknak Island thousands of years ago.
