A Thousand Years Unfolding

Sarah Betcher

2022 / 56 minutes
United States / United States
English

A Thousand Years Unfolding: Archeology at the Cape tells the story of the past lives of the Birnirk people living roughly 1000 years ago and within a well-preserved wood house at a small archaeological site at Cape Espenberg, Bering Land Bridge National Park in northwest Alaska. The film showcases the multidisciplinary project performing archeological digs and analysis, helping bring to light what influences may have played a role in the artifacts found, house structure, and faunal remains that complement the documentation of ancestral knowledge of the land and its people. The film describes research from the excavation and incorporates the narratives of local history by Iñupiaq residents of Shishmaref. Ultimately, the exchange of knowledge serves as a means to better understand the rich and deep heritage of the region. As a result, the film offers a deep holistic understanding of how the landscape and available wildlife shaped the way of life of the Birnirk people.