Effect of crude oil contamination on some archaeological sites in the Gulf of Alaska, 1991 investigations. Archaeology study number 1. Exxon Valdez oil spill state/federal natural resource damage assessment final report

Technical Report · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:371062

Reger, D R; McMahan, J D; Holmes, C E

The 1991 field study investigated the presence of crude oil in 13 intertidal archaeological sites. The study assessed the effect of oiling at those sites on the ability to obtain radiocarbon dates for the archaeological remains. Ages of sites were estimated based on the types of artifacts recovered from subsurface deposits and compared with results of radiocarbon tests at those deposits. The four archaeological sites from which adequate collections and radiocarbon samples were obtained were also sampled for sediments to test for presence of oil. None of the sites yielded radiocarbon dates which appear to be significantly skewed from the expected age range. However, caution must be used in projecting those conclusions to other sites in the oil spill area in scientific studies because of the many factors which control such findings.

• Research Organization: Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources, Anchorage, AK (United States). Parks and Outdoor Recreation Div.
• OSTI ID: 371062
• Report Number(s): PB--96-194659/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
GULF OF ALASKA
MARINE SURVEYS
OIL SPILLS