"Okvik horizon, 3000 years age, Bering Sea, St Lawrence Island, Alaska..."Winged Object" (ventral side) view illustrating linear engraving typical of the group at it's renaissance.  "What we have with these amazing variety of Winged Objects is how stylization incorporates into it's primary motif patterns. Tradition maintains uniformity in profile, also engraved conformity mostly, but now and them through personal expression the traditions will take a turn in the road. Initially these objects began as a representation of a vehicle, space ship, UFO, or shuttle that made it's appearance 3000 years ago on the island.  It had stayed there for a time, long enough of a time to be remembered, and then recorded in a sculpture, most likely in wood first, then since it left such an impression,  most likely a 'deity' importance, it then became traditionally handed down through the generations evolving along the way.  Form all I have studied in form, in this motif with all it's variations, it is very likely that there were more than one extraterrestrial encounter, more than one vehicle type viewed and recorded and even the 'visitors' themselves remembered as 'dolls' in tradition and through most of these Yupik horizons down through the generations." 

"Arctic Alaska, preserves artifacts very well as this 'Okvik' bowl illustrates with an age of over 3000 years. Carved from ancient walrus ivory, and lost in a subterranean earthen shelter, along with a possible burial.  These are a few of the artifacts that occasionally are discovered on St. Lawrence Island as well as coastal Siberia, along with other Inuit types from the mainland.  This blog is interested in presenting fine prehistoric art of Arctic Alaska, it's significance and any provenance I may find. It is difficult to view any kind of artifact typology on the web, yet I will display all I can discover for this educational forum.  Within my other blog; 'In My Own Words' I associate many of the 'Winged Objects' of the Okvik and Ipiutak Inuit with design motifs  of extraterrestrial influences."

"Since my early years exploring the Arctic areas of Alaska, I have not seen many Muskox or even their spoor. Their numbers are definitely on the increase as they are allowed to extend their range without hunting pressure. I for one, see no reason to disturb them, or for that matter any animal unless there is very good cause. Hunters and trophy 'head' hunters would find it more challenging just in the experience, a very great photo record, and as for a trophy, even with me, I discover a skull, horn or antler, lying on the tundra or in a river, it is so exciting to discover such treasures that are left naturally...and when especially fortunate I discover a trophy 'prehistoric' skull!"

"In some regions I explore in the Arctic, I only share the beaches and gravel bars of remote rivers with Toklat Grizzlies.  I have had countless encounters with these beach and river bears even in camp, but preparations and conduct secures such visitations.  Usually just a 'stance' and not deviating from a given position is intimidating for a bear. A camp 'can' get crowded very quickly, and become exciting when a kettle of soup is on the boil, best put a lid on it, turn it down and stand still while photographing the encounter." 'Tracks are neat to photograph, and a guarantee that there is a bear at least 'passing' through"

"Woolly Mammoth Tusks, leaning on the wall in my winter cabin in Fairbanks, from the Pleistocene permafrost of the Arctic Alaskan tundra. Returning from expedition, collecting ancient ivory, restoring them and sculpting smaller and broken pieces, was and is my profession.  This blog will further introduce finished objects of art and explore the 'past' expeditions in my artist history."  I also will lead a 'friend' level expedition this summer 2012, for those interested in joining me."

"Seven feet in length, and seventy five pounds weight.  Just lying in the mud, drifted down from recent spring thaw, and in near perfect condition. 'Woolly Mammoth Tusk' an immature bull, 20,000 years from Ice Age Alaska."

"Saber Tooth Cat colored "Ice Age" Woolly Mammoth Tusk"  "Still going further north and will for another few weeks, making and breaking camp each day, stopping on every gravel bar, and looking around for any sign of another fossil tusk, or an ancient Inuit harpoon projectile, perhaps an ancient ivory sled runner, and one of my biggest dream finds...a Human form effigy of ivory or bone or even amber, dating back to when land stretched from Alaska to Siberia, during a time mystic, a time we only remember when we sleep in country, on the old Mammoth migration trails, as I stop and pick up a stone spear blade that tells of the hunt..."Mammoth!" 

"Almost looks like someone's doggy, except for his size, but it's a sunny day and he's just looking for a bone."

"He's on the trail...my trail, looking down, in the sand, but not as yet looking up to see me, too attentive on the spoor, mine, and so I break out the camera to record this visit, no food on the grill yet, but thinking about it...and yet, my camp will be comfortable tonight with a campfire, no dark this far north as the sun spins around in a loop...above the horizon.  Comfortable, yes, but will keep one eye open...and both ears in case this fellow comes around." 

"The 'Only' transportation to many outback Arctic regions, no roads just gravel bar landings. Flying above the Arctic circle several hours north of Fairbanks, leaving the 'Brooks Range' far behind along with the tree line.  All rivers drain into the Arctic Ocean with thousands of Caribou migrating to the coast crossing...my trails." 

"Prehistoric 'Spade' with dimensions of roughly fourteen inches in length, (This photo illustrates the 'spade' as discovered condition). All along certain beaches are levels of abundant marine mammal bones and especially in the Escholtz Bay region (Kotzebue), Alaska, are artifacts commonly of Mammoth bone. I have explored a great deal of prehistoric sites too numerous to count, from burials to villages sites. One in particular is the 'Sealing Point' location (Cape Krusenstern) with over 3000 known house sites, still intact with little or very few actual archaeological work beyond just identifying cultural affinities."

"Digging 'Spade' from prehistoric Inuit, discovered north of Nome, Alaska, on a beach combing spree. Carved utility implement of 'extinct' Wholly Mammoth Bone, (This photo is the implement uncovered)"

"When ever discovering such a beautiful Woolly Mammoth Tusk, it is always my apprehension to wonder if the tip is broken or intact, and until I rotate the tusk out of the water I will not know, but in this case I was not disappointed, nearly seven feet in length and flawless, not fractures, just as though it fell off the Mammoth last year instead of 20,000 years ago!"

"A grand and beautiful setting for a museum grade Woolly Mammoth tusk as it was discovered. Arctic region, Alaska, and just a few miles from the Arctic Ocean...north over 'gold bearing gravels.' Fishing always produces dinner, simply by keeping a pole at the ready, watching the surface of the river and it's ripples, to indicate a grayling (trout) then flick a fly in it's direction and 'Fish On' unless it's a Northern Pike...the baracuda of fresh ice water!"

"And of course comes the day, the morning that I saw this tusk a hundred yards away, looked like it was a log semi-submerged but then since there are no trees this far north, and only brush, it was easy to assume this was a Woolly Mammoth Tusk...almost seven feet in length!"

"Drifting down an Arctic river for weeks does have an incredible amount of Ice Age fossil discoveries, note; how the upper sod is just hanging over the edge of the 'cut bank.'  This is due to permafrost holding the sod in place from underneath and as it thaws, the sod falls into the river, and in this sod and mud is laced with Ice Age fossils.!"  

"Ice Age, Pleistocene discoveries like this 'Arctic Lion' has always been my dream.  Sabre Tooth Cats, and any intact skull from such an age of twenty centuries. This specimen, I discovered, in a very remote river.  A very lucky find with all of the teeth and no serious breaks.  The main difficulty is that when a skeleton, or skull that becomes exposed to the weather after thawing from permafrost, can easily be destroyed and lost when is falls into a river, creek or out in the open." 

"So easily seen, so easily and during the course of a walk, a few miles, one can discover many, I have filled a dog sled full of antlers just in one day, just got into an area that a herd had been...some of the Caribou antlers were sculptures all by themselves, nothing could be done to them to make them better except bring them in the house." "I have sculpted them however, and has been a very fine display...on the wall."

"Caribou Antler..dropped just anywhere in the tundra, in any river, on the beaches or discovered in Ice Age fossil deposits. With any set of binoculars one can spot Moose Antlers, as with any bone in such 'open' spaces in the Tundra all across the Arctic as for miles there are virtually few obstructions.  Although the specimens from the 'Ice Age' are rich, and beautiful with blues, greens, oranges and black colors, they are my most prized discoveries, with ages over 20,000 years."  "It is so incredible to discover from such an age, and actually, it is not too difficult to acquire a collection!"

"They live in the mud, the sand and gravel they dwell, and move only when the river moves them, downstream to the Arctic Ocean, all the while they cover ground, going underground for a time then only to resurface, and continue on, until I find them, then their journey really...begins." "Woolly Mammoth Tusk, exposed from their buried place in the ice, from the end of the Ice Age, until now"

"Admittedly, a 'Gold Nugget' of this size will be extremely rare to discover without the aid of heavy mining equipment, but I have had a friend 'Robert Oberman' of Yakatat, (Southeast Alaska) claimed he discovered a nugget the size of a baseball lying in a creek 'visible' as was wedged in a crack on the bedrock.  Exposed bedrock is probably the only way to surface discover a gold nugget as it would be visible and could not gravitate further down in sediment."

"Prior to my seasonal Arctic expeditions, I usually visit areas such as Dawson City, after Fairbanks and through Denali park making my rounds.  Many occasions I traverse the country seeking Moose or Caribou antlers for my collection, but on occasion, and rather rarely I discover something more exotic...such as this winter kill Grizzly Bear skull, discovered north of Fairbanks, Alaska.  I never know what I will discover but the idea is to always to 'cover' ground, as the more ground I explore the greater possibility of finding something.  On more than one occasion I have had friends whom have discovered gold nuggets in shallow creek beds...just lying in the bedrock exposed by the creek."

"A recent illustration (I penciled sketched) of an Inuit attacing a stone projectile onto a 'lance' shaft. Typically these fragile stone blades were carried around in a wooden 'blade' shaped containers to protect  them from damage as the hunter required them. It is not uncommon to discover 'cached blades' in an archaeological excavation.  The hunters often buried the blades to protect them from damage and relied on memory to retrieve them (actually many are within the subterranean house sites).  The goal is to discover such a cache, as I have not been able to date...I do not excavate but discover 'surface' finds."

"Ancient Inuit 'Harpoon' projectile toggle, discovered in a 'ground squirrel' den in the Kotzebue, region of Alaska during one of my many and annual expeditions to the Arctic.  Camping and exploring the beaches and river tributaries in these regions results in a myriad of animal sightings and remnants of the 'Ice Age.'  (note: 'The insert on the tip of the harpoon is friction fit slate blade that a groove in the harpoon is suitably made."