The book Salish Archipelago (ed. by Moshe Rapaport, ANU Press, Canberra 2034) looks at the islands of the Salish Sea from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Although the human history sections deal primarily with the Coast Salish... more
The book Salish Archipelago (ed. by Moshe Rapaport, ANU Press, Canberra 2034) looks at the islands of the Salish Sea from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Although the human history sections deal primarily with the Coast Salish peoples, Vancouver Island is also home to non-Salish groups. This chapter examines aspects of Nuu-chah-nulth culture and history, and documents numerous ties of trade and travel from the Nuu-chah-nulth homeland on the island's west coast to the Salish Sea.
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The Nuu-chah-nulth of western Vancouver Island used lookout sites on small outer-coast islands to observe the movements of sea mammals and canoes, and later the trading ships arriving with cargoes of new goods. A trench excavated across... more
The Nuu-chah-nulth of western Vancouver Island used lookout sites on small outer-coast islands to observe the movements of sea mammals and canoes, and later the trading ships arriving with cargoes of new goods. A trench excavated across the upper surface of one such site yielded an artifact assemblage typical of late Nuu-chah-nulth sites, along with radiocarbon dates indicating use over the few centuries prior to contact with Europeans. Three artifacts of introduced materials reveal that this location continued in use into the early decades of contact. Copper and California abalone shells (“Monterey shells”) were two of the earliest and most important trade materials during the maritime fur trade. Indigenous demand was for the raw material, which was re-worked into decorative items of traditional form. The excavation results provide a rare glimpse into this early contact period, with no admixture of later manufactured objects. Ethnohistoric and ethnographic sources provide context to interpret these discoveries.
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Whaling was a central aspect of Nuu-chah-nulth, Ditidaht and Makah culture on the northwest coast of North America. Not only was it economically important, it was vital to chiefly prestige. Art and ceremonial life were dominated by themes... more
Whaling was a central aspect of Nuu-chah-nulth, Ditidaht and Makah culture on the northwest coast of North America. Not only was it economically important, it was vital to chiefly prestige. Art and ceremonial life were dominated by themes related to whaling. Thunderbird, the great supernatural whaler, was the source of hereditary prerogatives held by chiefs, including names, dances, regalia and rights to display images of thunderbird and whale. This paper argues that human observations of predatory behaviour by orcas (or killer whales) led to these animals also being perceived as non-human whalers from which chiefly prerogatives could be obtained. Wolves, the main figures in Nuu-chah-nulth ceremonial life, had the power to transform into orcas, explaining their frequent presence in the art with thunderbirds and whales. This paper presents archaeological evidence for orca in the context of whaling and offers interpretations based on the extensive ethnographic and oral historical records. It also places perceptions of animals, the role of the hunter’s wife and beliefs about orca in a broader context involving hunting societies in northwestern North America.
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This paper reports results of excavation at a raised landform immediately behind and predating the large outer-coast ancestral Nuu-chah-nulth village of Ts'ishaa. It appears in a volume in honour of Philip Hobler, recognizing his early... more
This paper reports results of excavation at a raised landform immediately behind and predating the large outer-coast ancestral Nuu-chah-nulth village of Ts'ishaa. It appears in a volume in honour of Philip Hobler, recognizing his early interest in the relationship between archaeological sites and sea levels.
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The Nuu-chah-nulth maritime whaling adaptation is unique on the Northwest Coast of North America. Abundant anadromous fish, particularly salmon, played a paramount role in most Northwest Coast economies, but whaling played an equivalent... more
The Nuu-chah-nulth maritime whaling adaptation is unique on the Northwest Coast of North America. Abundant anadromous fish, particularly salmon, played a paramount role in most Northwest Coast economies, but whaling played an equivalent role among the Nuu-chah-nulth. New archaeological evidence is presented from the Toquaht Archaeological Project that addresses the antiquity of whale use, the antiquity of whale hunting, the species exploited, and the importance of whales to the Nuu-chah-nulth of Barkley Sound. The evidence suggests that whale use occurred by at least 4000 BP, that active hunting of whales occurred by at least 2500 BP, that humpback whales were strongly preferred, and that whales have long been an integral part of Nuu-chah-nulth culture.
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Most reconstructions of Nuu-chah-nulth culture history, including the generalized West Coast culture type, are based primarily on the lengthy cultural sequence known from Yuquot, at the entrance to Nootka Sound. More recent work further... more
Most reconstructions of Nuu-chah-nulth culture history, including the generalized West Coast culture type, are based primarily on the lengthy cultural sequence known from Yuquot, at the entrance to Nootka Sound. More recent work further to the south has raised questions about past interpretations. Excavations at Ch'uumat'a, in western Barkley Sound, revealed an occupational history spanning much the same time period as Yuquot. Materials from the earlier levels at this site most closely resemble those known from the Strait of Georgia, particularly in the Locarno Beach stage, suggesting a long period of occupation prior to Nuu-chah-nulth arrival.
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This monograph reports the results of excavation at the major village of Huu7ii, one of the traditional heritage sites of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations today. Much of the excavation took place within the surface outlines of a large... more
This monograph reports the results of excavation at the major village of Huu7ii, one of the traditional heritage sites of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations today. Much of the excavation took place within the surface outlines of a large traditional plank house. Chapters present information on Huu-ay-aht ethnography and history, site stratigraphy and chronology, artifacts and features, and the archaeology of plank houses. Six appendices report results of analyses of vertebrate and invertebrate fauna, pollen, etc.
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This paper examines the archaeological evidence for art production, applied decoration and personal ornamentation recovered from pre-contact and early historic Nuu-chah-nulth contexts. Although the archaeological record of early... more
This paper examines the archaeological evidence for art production, applied decoration and personal ornamentation recovered from pre-contact and early historic Nuu-chah-nulth contexts. Although the archaeological record of early Nuu-chah-nulth art is limited, some glimpses are examined related to persistent themes and the evolution of the well-known later Nuu-chah-nulth style.
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An expansion of Wakashan-speakers from an initial homeland has been suggested by a number of researchers as providing the best explanation for the distribution of Aboriginal languages on the central and southern coast of British Columbia... more
An expansion of Wakashan-speakers from an initial homeland has been suggested by a number of researchers as providing the best explanation for the distribution of Aboriginal languages on the central and southern coast of British Columbia as well as accounting for a perceived discontinuity in the archaeological record at several locations in this area. The importance accorded migration in archaeological explanations, however, has varied considerably over the past decades. This chapter examines the fluctuating fortunes of migrationism in archaeological theory, places the Wakashan migration hypothesis in its historic context, and extends the argument to the southern Wakashans.
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This paper considers the ways in which information on coastal earthquakes is presented in Indigenous oral traditions and uses these to estimate the date of the most recent major seismic event.
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The ethnographic studies of Edward Sapir and Philip Drucker have provided the major written sources on Nuu-chah-nulth culture. This paper integrates the ethnographic and oral history information with recent archaeological data from... more
The ethnographic studies of Edward Sapir and Philip Drucker have provided the major written sources on Nuu-chah-nulth culture. This paper integrates the ethnographic and oral history information with recent archaeological data from Barkley Sound. The ethnographic sources, particularly as recorded by Sapir, contain considerable information on political, social and economic changes over time. Archaeology augments or challenges the ethnographic details and provides chronological controls. The integration of different data sources allows detailed insights into the cultural heritage of the Barkley Sound Nuu-chah-nulth.
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This article presents evidence for the antiquity and development of Nuu-chah-nulth whaling, drawing on recent archaeological work in Barkley Sound. DNA identifications of whale species reveal past whaling practices. The evidence is... more
This article presents evidence for the antiquity and development of Nuu-chah-nulth whaling, drawing on recent archaeological work in Barkley Sound. DNA identifications of whale species reveal past whaling practices. The evidence is interpreted in terms of the actions of past whaling chiefs.
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... the tsunami record on an emerging coast: A case study of Kanim Lake, Vancouver Island, BritishColumbia, Canada. Journal of Coastal Research 13 (1997), pp. ... 36. M. Stuiver and B. Becker, High-precision decadal calibration of the... more
... the tsunami record on an emerging coast: A case study of Kanim Lake, Vancouver Island, BritishColumbia, Canada. Journal of Coastal Research 13 (1997), pp. ... 36. M. Stuiver and B. Becker, High-precision decadal calibration of the radiocarbon time scale, AD 19506000 BC. ...
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... The Kwakwaka'wakw (once known as the Southern Kwakiutl) hold the northern and northeast-ern portions of the island and the adjacent mainland; their relatives, the Oweekeno and Heiltsuk, occupy the mainland coast to the north. ...... more
... The Kwakwaka'wakw (once known as the Southern Kwakiutl) hold the northern and northeast-ern portions of the island and the adjacent mainland; their relatives, the Oweekeno and Heiltsuk, occupy the mainland coast to the north. ... Nuxalk Kwakwaka'wakw Heiltsuk Oweekeno ...
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This paper introduces a special issue of BC Studies featuring nine papers on the archaeology and Indigenous history of the 'outer coast' of British Columbia.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Anthropology, Indigenous Studies, Zooarchaeology, Marine Ecology, and 12 moreOral history, Population Dynamics, Marine Mammals, Indigenous Peoples Rights, Taphonomy, Cultural Anthropology, Historical Ecology, Settlement archaeology, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Placenames, Archaeology of Whaling, and Marine Environmental History
I am a guest editor (along with Alan McMillan) of an upcoming special Issue of the journal 'BC Studies' which will feature nine papers about the archaeology of the outer Coast of British Columbia. This special issue will be published in... more
I am a guest editor (along with Alan McMillan) of an upcoming special Issue of the journal 'BC Studies' which will feature nine papers about the archaeology of the outer Coast of British Columbia. This special issue will be published in Early November and available in print and online at:
http://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/bcstudies/issue/archive
http://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/bcstudies/issue/archive
Research Interests: Archaeology, Anthropology, Indigenous Studies, Zooarchaeology, Stable Isotope Analysis, and 15 moreArchaeological Method & Theory, Oral history, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Indigenous Peoples Rights, Taphonomy, Lithic Technology, Holocene sea level change, Settlement archaeology, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Archaeology of shell middens, Archaeology of Whaling, Haida Gwaii, Archaezoology, Nuu-chah-nulth Archaeology, and British Columbia Archaeology
Zooarchaeology has the potential to make significant contributions to knowledge of pinniped biogeography of import to both archaeologists and environmental scientists. We analyzed northern fur seal remains found in three archaeological... more
Zooarchaeology has the potential to make significant contributions to knowledge of pinniped biogeography of import to both archaeologists and environmental scientists. We analyzed northern fur seal remains found in three archaeological sites located along the outer coast of the Northeast Pacific Ocean: Cape Addington Rockshelter in southeast Alaska, Ts’ishaa on the west coast of Vancouver Island, and the Netarts Sandspit site on the Oregon Coast. These three sites occur along an 850 km stretch of coastline between 45◦ to 55◦ N. and 123◦ to 134◦ W., far southeast of the primary breeding area for northern fur seals today, located on the Pribilof Islands at 57◦ N. 170◦ W. We use ancient DNA (aDNA) and carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes to investigate whether northern fur seal remains from these archaeological sites originated with migratory Pribilof Islands populations. For sites located in Oregon and points north, the isotope values are not distinct from those of the Pribilof fur seals. Although aDNA was recovered from three pinniped species (northern fur seal, Steller sea lion, and Guadalupe fur seal), the paucity of published genetic data from modern northern fur seals prevents us from distinguishing the archaeological specimens from modern Pribilof seals.
Research Interests: Marine Biology, Archaeology, Maritime Archaeology, Stable isotope ecology, Zooarchaeology, and 17 moreEnvironmental Archaeology, Social-Ecological Systems, Archaeozoology, Marine Conservation, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, Archaeometry, Ecology of Coastal Systems, Marine Mammals, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Ancient DNA Research, Archaeology of Hunting, Historical Ecology, Applied Zooarchaeology in Conservation, Maritime adaptations, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Pinnipeds, and Northwest Coast Archaeology
Understanding the broad patterns of cultural processes on the Northwest Coast requires specific studies of local variability. This paper draws on ethnographic and archaeological data to examine changing patterns of maritime resource use... more
Understanding the broad patterns of cultural processes on the Northwest Coast requires specific studies of local variability. This paper draws on ethnographic and archaeological data to examine changing patterns of maritime resource use in one locality: Barkley Sound, western Vancouver Island. We examine three excavated village sites, focusing on Ts' ishaa (DfSi-16 and-17). Large village communities emerged on an economic base characterized by a wide range of marine resources. Salmon, however, played a relatively minor role in ...
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Understanding the broad patterns of cultural processes on the Northwest Coast requires specific studies of local variability. This paper draws on ethnographic and archaeological data to examine changing patterns of maritime resource use... more
Understanding the broad patterns of cultural processes on the Northwest Coast requires specific studies of local variability. This paper draws on ethnographic and archaeological data to examine changing patterns of maritime resource use in one locality: Barkley Sound, western Vancouver Island. We examine three excavated village sites, focusing on the village of Ts’ishaa. Large village communities emerged on an economic base characterized by a wide range of marine resources. Salmon, however, played a relatively minor role in the economy until the final precontact stage (ca. 750 to 300 cal BP), when it increased considerably in importance. Various lines of evidence suggest that this shift reflects changing resource use and territorial access in Barkley Sound as local groups amalgamated and adopted a seasonal pattern of mobility.
Research Interests: Ethnohistory, Archaeology, Environmental Science, Anthropology, Coastal Management, and 25 moreZooarchaeology, Human-Animal Relations, Environmental Archaeology, Conservation Biology, Fish Remains (Zooarchaeology), Environmental Studies, Marine Ecology, Archaeozoology, Archaeological Method & Theory, Oral history, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Marine Conservation, Hunters, Fishers and Gatherers' Archaeology, Indigenous Knowledge, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Indigenous ecological knowledges and practices, Archaeology of Hunting, Historical Ecology, North Pacific archaeology, Pacific Northwest Coast archaeology, Archaeology of shell middens, Northwest Coast Archaeology, Herring, Archaeology of Whaling, and Nuu-chah-nulth Archaeology
Collaboration between anthropologists and the Canoe Creek and High Bar First Nations resulted in the excavation and identification of a radiocarbon-dated 5,000-year-old human burial, one of only six Middle Period burials now known from... more
Collaboration between anthropologists and the Canoe Creek and High Bar First Nations resulted in the excavation and identification of a radiocarbon-dated 5,000-year-old human burial, one of only six Middle Period burials now known from three Canadian Plateau sites. The burial appears to have been an isolated mortuary occurrence but with a pattern of body disposition similar to China Lake (EiRm–7) and Pritchard (EeQw–21). Osteological analysis indicated an elderly female (sex confirmed by molecular testing) with age-related pathological changes. A comprehensive comparative review of known Canadian Plateau human remains, included in this study, revealed an individual of relatively short stature with strongly developed upper limbs. Stable isotope analysis (carbon and nitrogen) pointed to a predominantly terrestrial diet likely based on hunting, with a moderate intake of marine protein, presumably salmon. Testing for mitochondrial DNA indicated haplogroup A, which is widespread in living Native Americans. Comparative mtDNA data suggest long-standing genetic continuity in the Pacific Northwest, but with evidence for a genetically diverse population in existence at 5000 BP.
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A finely-carved whalebone club handle from the Port Hammond site was AMS dated to about 2000 years ago, placing it within the Marpole phase of the Strait of Georgia sequence. Many elements of historic NWC art are already present,... more
A finely-carved whalebone club handle from the Port Hammond site was AMS dated to about 2000 years ago, placing it within the Marpole phase of the Strait of Georgia sequence. Many elements of historic NWC art are already present, including "visual punning", as the two human figures at the base form the outline of the whale's tail.
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This study examines the the culture history of the related Nuu-chah-nulth, Ditidaht, and Makah peoples, whose historic territory encompasses western Vancouver Island and the northwestern Olympic Peninsula. Although archaeological research... more
This study examines the the culture history of the related Nuu-chah-nulth, Ditidaht, and Makah peoples, whose historic territory encompasses western Vancouver Island and the northwestern Olympic Peninsula. Although archaeological research began relatively late in this area, the greatly expanded pace of recent fieldwork now allows an integrated assessment of their cultural heritage. The West Coast Culture Type, previously proposed for this area on limited archaeological data, is assessed against more recent evidence for diachronic trends and regional differences.
An historical and multi-faceted approach is employed, integrating data from archaeology, historical linguistics, and aboriginal oral traditions, along with ethnography and ethnohistory for later time periods, in a cultural historical synthesis. Recent research with the Toquaht, a small Nuu-chah-nulth group in western Barkley Sound, provides much of the archaeological data for this study
An historical and multi-faceted approach is employed, integrating data from archaeology, historical linguistics, and aboriginal oral traditions, along with ethnography and ethnohistory for later time periods, in a cultural historical synthesis. Recent research with the Toquaht, a small Nuu-chah-nulth group in western Barkley Sound, provides much of the archaeological data for this study
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This monograph details results of excavation at the Shoemaker Bay site near Port Alberni, along with a summary of ethnographic research and archaeological site inventory of the region. Appendices present specific information, including... more
This monograph details results of excavation at the Shoemaker Bay site near Port Alberni, along with a summary of ethnographic research and archaeological site inventory of the region. Appendices present specific information, including the analysis of recovered faunal remains.
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This monograph reports the results of extensive excavation at three portions of this large village complex, the origin location of the Tseshaht people in their oral traditions. It incorporates information on Tseshaht oral history and... more
This monograph reports the results of extensive excavation at three portions of this large village complex, the origin location of the Tseshaht people in their oral traditions. It incorporates information on Tseshaht oral history and ethnography, as well as archaeology. Substantial appendices report the results of specialized analyses.