Scientists are working to understand the story of how a shipwrecked crew survived the brutal subarctic winter back in 1813.
An international team of researchers worked with the U.S. Forest Service and the Sitka tribe of Alaska to gain insight into the incredible survival story of the Russian-American Company sailing ship Neva's crew, the National Science Foundation reported.
"The items left behind by survivors provide a unique snapshot-in-time for January 1813, and might help us to understand the adaptations that allowed them to await rescue in a frigid, unfamiliar environment for almost a month," said Dave McMahan of the Sitka Historical Society.
The wreck of Neva, which occurred near the city of Sitka, has been a source of legends for centuries. A number of survivors were rescued from the wreckage, but recorded accounts of the ordeal have been scarce. Now, researchers are working to confirm the site of the wreck and survivor camp as well as collect as many stories from the Tlingit oral history as possible. The team has also looked at tools used aboard the Neva, and uncovered a series of hearths with early 19th century artifacts such as "gun flints, musket balls, pieces of modified sheet copper, iron and copper spikes, a Russian axe, and a fishhook fashioned from copper."
Refuse heaps found at the campsite could help the scientists gain insight into the foraging strategies of the stranded crew. Gun flints also found at the site appear to have been used to start fires by striking them against steel, which lines up with historical accounts. Evidence reveals survivors tried to whittle down musket balls to fit them into smaller caliber weapons.
"Collectively, the artifacts reflect improvisation in a survival situation, and do not include ceramics, glass and other materials that would be associated with a settlement," McMahan said.
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