In 1954 R. S. MacNeish defined a Northwest Microblade tradition based mainly on material from the western District of Mackenzie, and in 1967 F.H. West defined a microblade-using Denali complex based on material from Alaska. In his definition, MacNeish stressed the presence of notched points, and his samples included few wedge-shaped microblade cores and notched transverse burins, which are key elements of the Denali complex. Therefore, West found the need for a new taxon. Subsequently, wedge-shaped Denali (Campus) microblade cores have been found to be abundant in the Yukon and adjacent areas. Additional notched points have been found in Alaska in a so-called Late Denali context. With due allowance for regional and temporal variation, the two constructs describe a single entity, and use of the name "The Northwest Microblade tradition" takes precedence. Although this may suit the Canadian situation, there are practical reasons for continued use of the term "Denali" in Alaska.
Arctic Anthropology, founded in 1962 by Chester S. Chard, is an international journal devoted to the study of Old and New World northern cultures and peoples. Archaeology, ethnology, physical anthropology, and related disciplines are represented, with emphasis on: studies of specific cultures of the arctic, subarctic and contiguous regions of the world; the peopling of the New World; relationships between New World and Eurasian cultures of the circumpolar zone; contemporary problems and culture change among northern peoples; and new directions in interdisciplinary northern research.
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Arctic Anthropology
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