PORT ANGELES — Scientists working to recover remnants of an ancient Klallam village say the site is one of the richest archaeological finds in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
About 100 people attended a free public presentation Thursday night that provided an overview of the archaeological excavation of the Klallam village of Tse-whit-zen.
“The range of artifacts we are finding is amazing,” said Dennis Lewarch, a senior archaeologist with Larson Anthropological Archaeological Services Ltd.
“This site has one of everything, and a lot of things that have never been found before on the Northwest coast.”
The village is located on the state Department of Transportation’s graving yard property, where components to replace the eastern portion of Hood Canal Bridge will be built.
In March, Transportation contracted Gig Harbor-based Larson Anthropological to remove human remains and artifacts from the site.
Large collection
Lewarch said the excavation will provide the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe with one of the largest collections of bone and antler tools in the Northwest — even possibly in the United States.
Tse-whit-zen was occupied by the tribe 1,700 years ago until about 1920.
