Pacific-Aleut Culture

The Pacific-Aleut culture of the Aleutian Islands and southern Alaska are known from modern times back to about 1000 B.C. Beneath midden artifacts found on Umnak Island and Anangula Island dated to 1000 B.C. lie much older deposits of stone tools dated to 6500 B.C. These tool complexes have been collectively termed The Aleutian Core and Blade Industry by W.N. Irving. They are characterized as being much thicker than the contemporary Arctic Small-Tool or Northwestern Microblade tool complexes. Uncommonly large blades and some other very early characteristics suggest that some examples may represent times concurrent with Beringia and stopping over points along migration routes around or before 10,000 B.C. The cultures of the Aleutian islands and southern Alaska show evidence of a slow divergence of traditions from other Inuit sub-traditions beginning as early as 6000 years ago. This is probably a result of isolation from more northern traditions, a milder climate, interaction with Northwest Coast cultures and possibly late Asiatic migration contacts. As the Aleutians were along the lines of original migration, the ancient traditions of those early migrants were more likely to have been incorporated and retained in Aleutian cultures than in other Inuit traditions of much later derivation from Asia.

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From:

Willey, Gordon R. An Introduction to American Archaeology. Englewood cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1966