Castle Hill Archaeological Project, Photos: Copper and Lead Artifacts

	Parks Boating Safety Hist./Archaeology Grants Design Trails Volunteers Index


State of Alaska > Natural Resources > Parks and Outdoor Recreation > History and Archaeology

Castle Hill Archaeological Project

Photos: Field

(click image to enlarge)

	Phoenix buttons. Published sources say that these were manufactured in England for King Christophe of Haiti. After the king's suicide in 1820, undelivered buttons found their way into the Pacific Coast fur trade. Castle Hill marks the northermost occurrence of this artifact type.
	Lead seals, inscribed with the initials of the Russian-American Co., were used to secure bales of furs.
	Letter codes indicate the fur type and grade. The "v" may indicate a newborn sea otter pup [Hagemeister 1818].
	A variation in script type: "RAK" (i.e., RAC - Russian-American Co.)
	Chinese coins have been found on other Russian sites in Alaska, and were a widely distributed currency type.
	Two copper crucifixes were recovered from the site.
	Sheet copper scraps occur in great abundance.
	An apparent copper spoon blank. As with blacksmithing, the handle would have been added later.
	A double-ended salt spoon (?) from sheet copper.
	A curved copper (or alloy) carving (?) instrument.
	A copper snuffbox (?) lid.
	A sample of copper nails, abundant on the site.
	Flattened lead sheathed lower walls and corners of ceilings against rats at Castle Hill [1820 account by Fedorova, 1973;222-223].

Next Gallery (Weapon-related Artifacts)

Return to Castle Hill Index

Office of History and Archaeology (OHA)
Heritage Newsletter
OHA and SHPO Staff
Alaska Historical Commission
Alaska Geographic Names Program
Alaska Gold Rush Centennials
Alaska Archaeological Survey
Alaska State Historical Parks
Alaska OHA Photo Galleries
Cultural Resource Plan for the Denali Highway Lands

Frequently Used Resources
Alaska Heritage Resources Survey
Report Submittal Checklist and Cover Sheet
Permits for Investigations on State Lands
Permits for Investigations on State Lands
Report Submittal Checklist and Cover Sheet
Request for SHPO Section 106 Review

OHA Projects
Castle Hill Archaeological Project
Broken Mammoth Archaeological Project
The Wreck of the Kad'yak
Southeast Alaska Historic Shipwrecks

Alaska State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)
SHPO Main Page
Alaska's Historic Preservation Plan
National Register of Historic Places
Section 106 Review Process
Rehabilitation Tax Credit
Certified Local Government Program
Education (Project Archaeology)
HPF Development Program
Historic Preservation Links
Historic Preservation Series
National Historic Preservation Act
Unalaska South Channel (Amaknak) Bridge Project

Special Announcements
New Hours Set for AHRS Research


Last updated on Tuesday, November 8, 2011.
Site optimized for Netscape 7, IE 6 or above. Not sure who to contact? Have a question about DNR? Visit the Public Information Center. Report technical problems with this page to the Webmaster
	State of Alaska Natural Resources Parks Home Parks Index Copyright Privacy System Status