Introduction to the Papers on Central Coast Archaeology
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Introduction to the Papers on Central Coast Archaeology Philip M. Hobler The 2 papers in this volume are the Fraser University has been fortunate in result of the long term work on the being part of the original organization Central Coast of British Columbia by the of the University. When Roy Carlson Department of Archaeology at Simon began teaching there in 1966 his prior Fraser University. The papers are based recommendations had already resulted in upon graduate theses presented to the the construction of an archaeology lab department in 1976 (Chapman) and 1977 oratory and provision for courses. I (Apland) . They have been abridged joined the faculy in 1967 after two somewhat but have not been updated or years of palaeolithic work in the east revised. ern Sahara. It could safely be said that I was unspoiled by previous exper Since these are the first reports on ience with maritime archaeology. Central Coast archaeology to be publish Shortly afterward I began a search for ed in this series it is in order, by way an area of British Columbia that would of introduction to review the history of be suitable for a long-term programme of the department's work in the area. field teaching and research. Compared Geographically the area begins with the with the interior, the more advanced north end of Vancouver Island and asso cultural development and presence of ciated mainland coast. It extends deep stratified sites made the maritime northward some 400 km across the Queen region seem more attractive. Even at Charlotte Sound to a point south of that time a fair amount of archeological Douglas Channel (Fig. 1.1 ). The topog work had been done on the southern coast raphy varies dramatically on any east- by local institutions. On the northern west transect from low lying outer coast coast, National Museum of Canada pro to the inner coast with its deeply in jects were underway near Prince Rupert cised fjord-like inlets. Historically and on the Queen Charlotte Islands. In the area includes the traditional terri between, the Central Coast remained a tory of the Bella Coola, parts of the rather large, unstudied area. Further southernmost Haisla, the Hieltsuk, and encouragement to consider the Central much of the southern Kwakiutl area. Coast was provided by a gasoline company road map that deceitfully promised ease Some 10 field seasons, beginning in of access in the form of a major highway 1968, have seen Simon Fraser University leading westward to Bella Coola from sponsored archaeological projects on the Williams Lake. Only later did we dis Central Coast. Archaeology at Simon cover the degree of exaggeration 1 2 CENTRAL COAST ARCHAEOLOGY Fig. 1.1 Map of Central Coast showing excavated sites. INTRODUCTION 3 LlJ o I - < i_ a 4- ct Qd Qd — i ct LU LU o LU UJ LU no * X 4- > LL _l o > > z LU < LU Qd or Qd -J 1- 3 z >- < L— h 1— < 5 (- X LU Q < < ft: < 3 o o o Od < Q 3 5 3 —\_/ LU z z z Z LlJ z O o o O *5 LU 1- h- 1- T 1- IS) IS) IS) IS) 3 z x I < _L_ < z <1 < < \~ IS) < < $ $ $ < $ < o i X LU I-* ¥ * o X. * * * Z s 5 o O CD X YEARS CVJ O _ G) if ) S —. __ o LO CO GO in 3 3 3 3 3 L- l k_ X n X X a> 3 b.p. CO CO CO CO CO co ( 0 co CO CO l~ ( 0 CO I-* CO CO o o O -Q o a> Q) a> a> — -Q o <l> <D u_ L i- L i. L i. LL LL LL Ll Ll LU LU LU Ll Ll LU LU 0 • 1 1 > __ 1__ l_ 1— I » i i n • i * — 1 n LJ +n + i i I 00 1 1 • • i — • n i * i j • • t 1 i * 200 i i i i ■ • i i i i 1 i * i i i i i • i 1000 • • 1 1 1 1 • f 1 * i 1 • • 1 • 1 1 1 l 2000 i 1 I i * 1 1 1 l i . ' • l i i 1 • i i i i i 1 1 i i i 1 1 1 1 i 3000 i 1 1 1 i i i • 1 i i 1 1 1 1 i 1 * 1 1 i i 1 1 i | 1 1 « 1 i 1 1 • ( i i 4000 i i ■ i i 1 1 l i i i > i i i l ■ ■ i l i 1 i i N i i i i 5000 1 1 1 i : : i i i » i i i i 6000 • i i i i i i i i i ■ 1 i i ■ i 7000 i • i * i i i i | I 8000 1 i 1 1 1 i 1 • l i 9000 f i » i 1 0 0 0 0 II 000 t CENTRAL COAST EXCAVATIONS NOT SPONSORED BY SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Fig. 1.3 Approxima te time range represented by excavated sites 4 CENTRAL COAST ARCHAEOLOGY Fig. 1.2 Map of surveyed sites in the Bella Bella-Bella Coola region. INTRODUCTION 5 concealed in that broad red line. The application of research goals appropriate in other archaeological ar Three ethnographic factors define the eas might have been non-productive. For background for our archaeological in example, in environmentally marginal vestigations. The first is the areas the diachronic study of subsist anomalous position of the Bella Coola in ence systems has been greatly aided by their isolation from other Salish speak studies of paleoenvironment. Often in ers both on the coast and in the such cases even small cultural changes interior. The second is the boundary on can be seen to be in phase with environ the east between the Bella Coola and the mental shifts. Yet, this kind of interior plateau peoples separating approach when applied to the study of groups speaking unrelated languages and Central Coast shell middens has proven with contrasting cultures and to be of only limited explanatory value environments. Third, is the Bella (Hester and Nelson 1978). Archaeologi Coola-Hielt suk boundary on the west a cal studies seem to have progressed case of mutally unintelligible languages through the greatest number of develop but a sharing of cultural traits and mental stages in those areas where environment. These circumstances of inquiry has been underway longest. varying culture, language, and environ Compared with most New World areas, ment during the ethnographic period set archaeological work of any scale on the the stage for our initial archaeological Northwest Coast has been in motion only investigations by posing a host of ques a brief time, 30 years on the southern tions concerning prehistoric cultural coast and half that elsewhere (Carlson traits, their distributions, origins, 1978). Perhaps we can shorten the and relationship to environments. stage-by-stage development of research orientation but there is no wisdom in Work began with a data gathering attempting to skip whole stages. It has orientation. Since so little was known been and will be a difficult step-by of the archaeology of the area it was step process. In the end the data will not thought advisable to formulate more be our best guide and will determine complex research goals. Productive re what can be learned. search must involve an interdependence between the field data and the questions Archaeological projects on the Cen we ask since archaeological data from a tral Coast sponsored by Simon Fraser given area are not capable of providing University are listed in chronological illuminating answers to every question order in Table 1.1. The approximate time that might be asked. This has been range represented at excavated sites is recently stresed by Trigger: given in Figure 1.2. My reconnaissance survey in 1968 laid the groundwork for Archaeologists must learn much of our subsequent field efforts. to live with the realization Sponsored by the S.F.U. President's that their desire to study Research Grants fund, the 1968 survey whole cultural systems cannot provided initial familiarity with the be realized .... Archaeologists Central Coast, its archaeological sites, must learn to ask the kinds of and its rather special logistic require questions with which the data ments. Almost all of the sites that are equipped to deal were later the focus of large excava (Trigger 1978:151). tions were found in the 1968 survey. Also in 1968 an archaeological survey In short, one must know what the data project in the Bella Bella area west of are like before it is possible to see Fisher Channel conducted by J. Hester the problems and formulate the questions was sponsored by the University of that can guide further work. 6 CENTRAL COAST ARCHAEOLOGY TABLE 1-1 Central Coast Archaeological Projects sponsored by Simon Fraser University APPROXIMATE YEAR PROJECT DIRECTED BY DURATION CREW SIZE 1968 Bella Coola-Bella Bella area survey Hobler 6 weeks 3 1969 Excavations at Kwatna River Sites, FaSu 1,2,9 Hobler 8 weeks 18 1970 Excavations at Kwatna River Sites, FaSu 1,2 Hobler, Carlson 8 weeks 16 1971 Excavations at Kimsquit Sites, FeSr 1,4 ,7 Hobler 8 weeks 8 1971 Excavations at Kwatna River Sites, FaSu 1,2 Carlson 8 weeks 8 1971 Excavation at 'Port Hardy Site ... Chapman 6 weeks 7 1972 Excavations at Kimsquit Sites, FeSr 4,5 Hobler 8 weeks 8 1972 Excavations at Kwatna River Site, FaSu 10 Carlson 8 weeks 8 1972 Excavations at MacNaughton Island, ElTb 10 Pomeroy 10 weeks 5 1973 Seymour Inlet, Quatsino Sound Survey Carlson 9 Hobler 7 weeks 4 1973 Excavations at Port Hardy site ..