Publication of the Archaeological Society of ISSN 0047-7222 Vol.23, No.3 June 1991

INSIDE: Archaeology gets its feet wet ... page 1. Debitage ... page 5. Victoria ASBC chapter digs in ... page 6. Letter to the editor ... page 8. Volunteer opportunities ... page 8. Heritage legislation news ... page 9. Book reviews ... page 10. Permits ... page 12. What to see this summer ... page 13. The Midden Publication of the Archaeological Society of British Columbia

Editor: Kathryn Bernick Subscriptions and Mailing: Helmi Braches

Submissions and exchange publications should be directed Subscription is by membership in the A.S.B.C. (see below), or to the Editor. Contributions on subjects germane to B.C. non-member rates of $12.00 a year (5 issues). U.S.A. and overseas archaeology are welcomed: maximum length 1,500 words, $14.00 a year. Check or postal money order in Canadian funds no footnotes, and only a brief bibliography (if necessary at payable to the A.S.B.C. Address to: Midden Subcriptions, P.O. Box 520, Station A, Vancouver, B.C. V6C 2N3. all). Guidelines available. The contents of The Midden are copyrighted by the A.S.B.C. It is The next issue of The Midden will appear unlawful to reproduce all or part by any means whatsoever, without mid-October 1991. permission of the Society, which is usually gladly given.

Publication of The Midden is made possible in part by financial Contributors this issue: Brian Apland, Kathryn assistance from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Bernick, Norm Easton, Grant Keddie, Phyllis Mason, Culture through the British Columbia Heritage Trust and B.C. Lottery Terry Spurgeon. revenues.

Production Assistants: Vicki Feddema, Phyllis Mason, Barbara Stopa.

THE COVER: ASBC-Victoria members joseph Baur and Louise Baycroft screening the midden under the Tillicum bridge. See article on South Gorge Bridge site, on pages 6-7.

The Society

The Archaeological Society of President: Affiliated Chapters: British Columbia is dedicated to William Paull (980-5186) Fraser Valley. Meetings featuring the protection of archaeological Vice President: illustrated lectures are held on the resources and the spread of Roderick Millar (734-1897) third Tuesday of each month archaeological knowledge. Membership Secretary: (September to May) at 7:45 p.m. on Toni Crittenden (736-4708) the Fraser Valley College campus in Meetings featuring , illustrated Abbotsford. President: Thelma lectures are held on the second Annual membership fees: single­ Mcintyre (853-1495). Membership Wednesday of each month (except $20.00; family- $25.00; senior citizen Secretary: Andy Purdy (823-4920) . July and August) at 8:00 p.m. in the - $15.00; student- $15.00. Vancouver Museum Auditorium. Visitors and new members are Membership includes Midden welcome! subscription. Address to: A.S.B.C. Membership Secretary, P.O. Box 520, Station A, Vancouver, B.C. V6C 2N3.

NEXT MEETING: September 11 Topic to be announced. Archaeology Under the Water at Montague Harbour

by Norm Easton

ERODED MIDDEN deposits are survived from the mid-Holocene, back together again. In this sense, ubiquitous along the island coasts of about 4000 to 8000 years ago. sites are not lost, only transformed. the . Anyone taking But, are they lost, or just the ferry from Vancouver to misplaced? What has really The second thing that I believe Victoria sees the splashes of white happened to these shoreline sites? has happened to our coastal shell beaches dotting the shorelines archaeological sites is not at all among the bedrock. Visitors as well I believe two things have apparent, but completely sensible as residents of the Gulf Islands happened. The first is apparent - upon reflection - many coastal quickly come to realize that there is coastal midden sites have eroded archaeology sites are not visible not a single beach that does not away. From an archaeological point because they have become display midden deposits in varying of view, however, they are not overburdened by sediments. degrees of decay and exposure. destroyed, merely redeposited "Of course," you say, " that is Most of us know that these shells elsewhere. The challenge is to why archaeologists dig in the represent the accumulation of the determine where and to learn to earth.'' remains of prehistoric. dinners by interpret what we might find. The "No," I respond. "That is why British Columbia's first peoples. excavation and interpretation of archaeologists must dive in the Many of us worry at their exposure, "secondary deposits," that is, sea.'' as these archaeological deposits archaeological remains outside of contain not just clam shells, but a their original "primary" context, is The "disappearance" of coastal whole range of material evidence of in fact far more the norm than most middens is only partly due to an ancient way of life. We know people realize (and perhaps more erosion. I believe that the most that discovery and analysis of this than most archaeologists admit). significant single factor affecting the evidence can enrich our apprecia­ The majority of sites (except very location of shoreline middens, tion of the complex adaptations of recent or enclosed ones) are particularly during the mid­ past lifeways. Concern for the -exposed to the effects of weather, Holocene, is the cumulative effect apparent loss of these archaeolo­ water, animals, and humans; effects of post-glacial sea level rise. That is gical sites may grow when we that mix up the evidence, so to to say, the coastal sites from this realize that in the Gulf Islands, no speak. Archaeology is the detective period are located not on the coastal sites at all seem to have work that tries to put the pieces present-day coast, but along the

The Midden · 1 coast that was in existence at the and, for a variety of reasons, time of their occupation - a paleo­ Montague Harbour rose to the top shoreline. If one considers the of the list. Eldridge's cores nailed it relative sea-level curve of the Gulf there, and with the support of the Islands, the reason why there are so BC Archaeology Branch and the few mid-Holocene sites in the Underwater ArchaeologicaJ Society region becomes apparent - they of BC, I spent three days excavating would have been located on a small test pit offshore, in October shorelines some 3-10 m below the 1989. modern shoreline. The results of this short field excursion were equivocal. A Partly with these thoughts in number of possible lithic artifacts mind, I began to investigate the were recovered, but they were very intertidal and submarine zones waterworn, and the tell-tale offshore from the big midden at characteristics of human use were Montague Harbour (D{Ru 13}. This not obvious. More intriguing were site had been excavated by Dr. the faunal remains, which included Donald Mitchell in the 1960s. He burned mammal bones. identified three cultural units at Although a start had been made, D{Ru 13: Gulf of Georgia, Marpole, three days was hardly enough time and Locarno Beach. He also noted to address the problem. The BC that the lowest deposits on-shore Heritage Trust recognized this and extend below the high-tide water agreed to fund three weeks of table, and that considerable erosion fieldwork in 1990. Andrew Mason, of the shore-face of the midden in the October 1990 Midden [Vol.22, seemed to have occurred, resulting No.4:6-7], discussed the public in redeposition of midden materials participation aspects of this along the beach. fieldwork; here I focus on the More recently, in 1989, Morley archaeological methods and initial Eldridge conducted a site boundary findings. survey of D{Ru 13. A core sample of The research strategy, developed the beach sediments led him to as the beginning of a close suggest that along with mixed examination of the effects of sea­ secondary midden deposits, some level rise and erosion on coastal portions of the intertidal beach area deposits, had three components. contained " undisturbed cultural One was to collect a series of deposits.'' sediment cores in order to ascertain For some years, I had been the geological evidence for the deliberating where to launch field timing and rate of sea-level change investigations of paleo-shorelines in the Montague Harbour basin,

50 E z \ 0 ..... ~ UJ 0 ..J · ·~·· · · · ···· · ··· · ·· · ···· · ··· · ···· · ······ · · · ·· · · ······ · ···· · ········· · · UJ ? ?

. 1 2 1 1 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 0 RADIOCARBON AGE ( x 10 3 YEARS BP)

Approximate sea level curve for the Victoria and Gulf Islands area, based on geological cores.

2 - The Midden SCALE E3 E3 F3 0 50 100m. Underwater c ontours in me t res above end below char I datum (lowe r low w a ter >.

Intertidal and submarine excavation units at the Montague Harbour site, D{Ru 13.

and to seek out likely areas where stratigraphy of the core shows a evidently generally unaltered cultural deposits might be found. basal clay level, followed by a layer midden deposits, whereas the Another was to undertake of what seem to be aerated soils lowest unit had a relatively simple controlled excavation of the that are in turn overlaid by marine stratigraphy consisting of only three intertidal zone. By beginning at the sands. The transition from soils to identifiable strata. All of the units basal level of the shoreside sands has been radiocarbon dated to bottomed out at a stiff clay stratified midden deposits, we 1900 ± 80 BP on marine shell (not interface, which may represent hoped to trace the limit of their calibrated). Several other cores from alluvial sediments deposited during integrity seaward and identify some the area show similar stratigraphy, periods of high sea level at the very effects of tidal inundation. Finally, and we hope to further date and end of the Pleistocene. As well, they if the cores or the intertidal correlate the transgressive events all contained stone artifacts, fire­ excavations supported it, we they document in order to gain a cracked rocks, charcoal, and a planned to excavate within the clearer understanding of the nature complex assemblage of faunal submarine zone. The results of and rate of sea-level changes within remains (including intertidal these undertakings are still being the region. bivalves, fish, and land and sea analyzed, but there are a number of Three major units within the mammals). Two dates have been interesting findings that I can intertidal area were excavated processed for the intertidal area. comment on. offshore from D{Ru 13: one (EU3/4) The basal levels of EU3/4 have been at the high tide line, one (EU14/15) dated to 900 ± 60 BP (on charcoal) A number of cores show clear 7 m below this, and another (EU25/ and the lower levels of EU14/15 evidence of sea-level rise. The most 26) 13 m seaward of the high tide have been dated to 1860±70 (on convincing is a core that was line. The first two of these marine shell). This places the upper collected at about the low-tide level excavations revealed considerable intertidal deposits within the Gulf from a beach close to D{Ru 13. The stratigraphic . complexity and are of Georgia culture type, whereas

The Midden · 3 the middle intertidal deposits may recovered from these excavations be either Marpole or Gulf of are ongoing. They are geared Georgia (calibration of the shell date toward generating a greater will decrease the estimated age by understanding of the context of the at least several hundred years). artifacts that were recovered. The The submarine excavation took principal question is, of course, place about 80 m offsho~e, whether these are primary or approximately 2.5 m below the low secondary deposits, and, if tide chart datum. Using an airlift, a secondary, can they be made to 1.5x2 m area was excavated to a "tell a story" through analysis. depth of nearly 80 em. Under about 10 em of fine marine sediments lay I am afraid the answer to these a dense accumulation of whole and questions is not readily apparent. broken clam shells, principally We need to do more fieldwork and horse and butter clam, as well as to collect more data. In particular, littleneck and bentnose clams, we have to come to a better scallop, whelk, mussel, cockle, understanding of the effects of barnacle, rock scallop, and land and marine organisms on such deposits. sea mammal remains. Eleven lithic From a practical view, we need to artifacts were recovered from the gain even better stratigraphic and submarine unit; all are flakes, and sampling control within the four show distinct signs of retouch underwater environment, increase and utilization. Considerable our excavation . productivity, and numbers of barnacle-encrusted fire­ continue to develop the special cracked rocks were recovered from labour skills needed for carrying out the lower levels of the excavation. underwater excavation. I cannot say whether these are primary, secondary, or otherwise Nevertheless, with the detailed altered deposits. Certainly, the archaeological investigations of our upper levels have been subject to underwater environment at some bio-turbation, or the mixing of Montague Harbour, BC archaeology the sediments through biological has finally got its feet wet. As I've activities of worms and clams. But argued before, with the long­ the lower levels, with their density standing importance of maritime of shell remains, fire-cracked rocks, adaptations along the west coast, I barnacles, and artifacts, suggest that hope that we will see continuing these may be inundated cultural growth in such forms of research. deposits. The development of underwater We were unable to complete the archaeology by investigating near­ excavation of this unit to the basal shore prehistoric deposits will one clays before our field season ended. day place us in a position to Before we left, however, we took understand the deep-water deposits another core of the remainder of the that may hold proof of the ''coastal unit, and it revealed that the shell migration" theory. 0 deposits extend down another 80 em above the clays. A marine-shell date from the bottom of the core Norm Easton is a ASBC member who gave an age of 6280 ± 90 BP. resides in Whitehorse where he is Palynological, faunal, and sedi­ Lecturer in Anthropology at Yukon mentological analyses of the data College.

4 · The Midden Debitage

Brian Thorn, a UBC under­ Northwest Coast. ... Another faunal Historical Archaeology will meet graduate student in anthropology­ study of interest is Virginia L. in Vancouver in January 1994 .. . If archaeology (and an ASBC member) Butler's PhD dissertation, com­ you prefer exotic locations, VCC­ won the Canadian Archaeological pleted in 1990 at the Univ. of Langara is investigating the Association's annual student paper Washington (Dept. of Anthro­ feasibility of a tour (probably next competition with an entry titled pology) - Distinguishing NatUral spring) to archaeological sites in "An Investigation of Inter­ from Cultural Salmonoid Deposits in Africa, and Simon Fraser Assemblage Variability within the Pacific Northwest North America .. . University is contemplating Gulf of Georgia Phase." The award jeff Hunston has updated his holding its 1992 archaeology field consists of a $500 prize and bibliography of non-technical school in Tonga.... UBC's R.G. publication in the Canadian journal publications Prehistory of Canada: Matson gets to go this summer, but ofArchaeology. Honourable mention Recommended General Introductory only to Utah where he'll be - but no money - went to Kevin Reading (4th ed., 1991). For copies investigating Basketmaker II sites Berry, an undergraduate write to him at the Yukon Heritage on Cedar Mesa . . .. On July 1, 1991 archaeology student at SFU, for a Branch, Dept. of Tourism, PO Box Richard Pearson assumes the paper titled "Where Have All the 2703, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6 position of Head of the Dept. of Salmon Run? Radiographic Exami­ . .. Conference goers who like to Anthropology and Sociology at UBC nation of Salmon Remains from plan ahead, note that the Canadian . .. Anyone who still hasn't seen the Keatley Creek in the Upper Fraser Archaeological Association's UBC Museum of Anthropology's Canyon.'' .. . Diane Kay Hanson 1992 annual meeting (in late April travelling exhibit Blood from Stone: recently defended her PhD or early May) will be held in Making and Using Stone Tools in dissertation (Dept. of Archaeology, London, Ontario, followed by Prehistoric British Columbia, can SFU) - Late Prehistoric Subsistence Montreal in 1993, and tentatively catch it at the Richmond Museum in the Strait of Georgia Region of the Edmonton in 1994. The Society for between August 5 and September 20, 1991.

Alberta places first

THE CALGARY HERALD published understanding and appreciation of program that included workshops both winners of the Canadian Canadian archaeology. Submissions in archaeology. Archaeological Association's 1990 for the next competition must be Consulting archaeologist Sandra public writing award competition. published during 1991 in a Zacharias and UVic archaeology Mark Lowey won in the Canadian newspaper, magazine, or student Clinton Coates demon­ newspaper category for his article journal of wide circulation, and strated excavation techniques, titled " Frozen in Time: Norse they must be at least 1000 words supervised mapping activities, and America? Explorers 'Left Calling long. For further information explained archaeological conserva­ Cards 500 Years before Columbus'' contact Margaret Bertulli, Prince of tion to small groups of students (Calgary Herald, Feb.2, 1990). Wales Heritage Centre, Yellow­ from two elementary schools. All The magazine/journal award went knife, NWT, X1A 2L9; tel: (403) together, 65 children in grades 4-7 to Lisabeth Church for "Digging 920-8084. 0 took part. into the Past" (Calgary Herald The May 13-17 Getting Together Magazine, Nov. 18, 1990) . program on the Canim Lake Each receives a $350 prize and a Reserve featured many Shuswap commemorative plaque. There was Workshops cultural activities led by teachers no award . this year in the and band members. The professional/institutional category. attract visitors archaeology component, Zacharias SCHOOL CHILDREN from the 100 told The Midden, was extremely The annual CAA public writing Mile House area had a unique popular - it drew more than 500 award acknowledges outstanding opportunity last month to partici­ visitors, as well as all the local contributions that further public pate in a week-long Native cultural media. 0

The Midden - 5 by Grant Keddie

The Gorge narrows at mid-tide. Large shell midden sites are located on each side of the Tillicum Bridge.

Spirit Divers and Spirited Diggers

THE PICI'URESQUE Gorge narrows neath the Tillicum Road bridge. The upper, shell zone contained near Victoria is a place where Below a thick shell layer, I observed mainly native oyster shells native Songhees dove deep into the a dark layer of midden with sparse (formerly numerous in the Gorge water to gain special spirit powers. shell, and I extracted a soil sample waterway). Next in quantity were Here, at the beginning of time, to date the charcoal it contained. To bent-nose clams (found locally in Halys the transformer-being turned my surprise, the radiocarbon assay small mud bays) and bay mussels a young girl named Carnossung into dates the layer to 4120 years ago! (like those on the rocks a few steps stone. Her name survives today as This April, the municipality of from the site today). We found a Carnosun College and Camosun Esquimalt had planned to build few basalt flakes and very small ) Street. another walkway through the quantities of bone. The diggers Just above the reversible falls cultural deposits. I obtained an grew excited over every herring ) caused by the shifting tides, impact assessment permit from the vertebra - while anglers fishing members of the Victoria chapter of Archaeology Branch, and the ASBC­ from the bridge above pulled up the Archaeological Society of B.C. Victoria emergency response team herring after herring, getting far dig into the oldest recorded shell under the leadership of Joseph Baur more bones than we did! midden on southern Vancouver swung into action. We excavated Finally, we got into the lower, Island. one test pit with undisturbed dark zone and Joe found the kind of Two years ago, a small area of the cultural deposits and began several artifact I was hoping to see - the South Gorge Bridge shell midden others where cultural deposits famous "whatsit," a small (DcRu 5} was exposed during proved to be disturbed or non­ rectangular object made of steatite, construction of a walkway under- existent. with two holes in it. Since these

6 - The Midden objects . of unknown function the Goodridge Peninsula site (DcRv large cage that extends up to the (perhaps personal ornaments?) are 48) in Sooke Basin 2814 years. underside of the bridge. not present in components dating Maybe, 2800 years ago is the time I dream of seeing the South Gorge from the past 1700 years, the find when the sea stabilized at near its Bridge site developed into a confirms an early age for the top of present level. The evidence from permanent outdoor exhibit with the dark zone. the South Gorge Bridge site may be bright murals of native fishing A similar dark soil layer an important factor in determining activities instead of graffiti on the containing fire-broken rocks, sparse when the shoreline reached· its bridge wall, plasticized exposures of shell, and bone occurs at the present elevation and thus provide excavated midden faces, and Fleming Beach site (DcRu 20) on crucial information for interpreting attractive posters that explain the Esquimalt' s southern shore. It sits why prehistoric human settlements nature of the site. We will again see several metres above the present occur where and when they do. spirited diggers from the shoreline and has a radiocarbon age Fortunately, the walkway was Archaeological Society uncovering estimate of 4151 years. The sample redesigned to avoid damage to the the mysteries that this beautiful f that yielded that date came from site. After a formal presentation and place offers to seekers of the power the deepest part of the Fleming with support from the heritage of knowledge. D ) Beach deposits (where an entire advisory and parks committees, cross-section of the midden was Esquimalt municipal council exposed during house construction). enthusiastically agreed to protect ASBC member Grant Keddie is an At the South Gorge Bridge site, in the remammg portion of the archaeology curator at the Royal BC contrast, we excavated another 60 midden. It is now enclosed in a Museum in Victoria. em of the lower zone without reaching bottom; the cultural deposits extend well below the dated layer and their base is probably 5000 (or more) years old. Why do the oldest sites along the present shoreline date to this period? Why are there so few of them? One answer may relate to sea-level changes. Between about 9250 and 5000 years ago sea levels in this region were lower than today. For the period between 5000 and 2300 years ago, we don't know the location of the shoreline, though some suspect the sea was gradually rising, or fluctuating, during this time. The upper Gorge waterway was a fresh-water stream during the early occupation period of the South Gorge Bridge site, and this may f account for the sparse amount of shell in the lower zone.

Interestingly, the oldest layers at three large, deep shoreline shell midden sites on the south end of date to about 2800 years ~go. The Willows Beach site (DcRt 10) in Oak Bay has a radiocarbon age of 2756 years, the Maplebank site {DcRu 12) in Steven Coe and john Somoggi-Csizmasia excavating at the Esquimalt Harbour 2810 years, and South Gorge Bridge site.

The Midden- 7 Letter to the Editor:

I WAS VERY surprised to read your CMTs are not included in the The Branch has also continuously comments in the February 1991 provincial archaeological site file as supported CMT research and edition of The Midden (Vol.23, No.1, a specific site type due to a lack of recording projects. I believe it p.4: "Archaeologists value trees" ) definition as to what constitutes the would be fair to say that the vast stating that "the Archaeology site in these cases. In 1983, the majority of CMT-related studies Branch does not accord culturally provincial archaeologist arranged a undertaken in the past decade have modified trees (CMTs) full status as CMT workshop that 13 people been either supported, initiated, heritage resources.'' That statement interested in the subject attended. fully or partially funded by the is certainly not correct. That included a representative of Branch, or come about through the The Archaeology Branch most the Council of Haida Nations. The insistence of Branch staff. assuredly considers CMTs to be Archaeology Branch agreed to important heritage resources. retain CMT records in a separate It may be time that we re­ Indeed, various staff of the file until better definition of how to examine the recording format of Archaeology Branch have worked define a CMT site was developed. CMTs and certainly the new for more than a decade to ensure Since that time, Branch staff have heritage legislation proposal will these features are recognized and worked hard to ensure forest overcome existing legal limitations properly recorded. companies are aware of the - but please do not imply to your CMTs are not automatically importance of CMTs. A CMT readers that the Branch does not protected under the Heritage recording form has been developed consider CMTs important as Conservation Act, but that is a to complement the data-surveying heritage resources. function of the wording of the undertaken by forestry engineers. legislation and not any reflection of Several companies continue to map Brian Apland what the Branch considers as and record CMTs and submit Director, Archaeology Branch having full heritage resource status. records to the Branch.

Volunteer Opportunities Montague Harbour Excavations

Further excavations are planned for Montague Harbour on Galiano Island this summer by Yukon College anthropologist and ASBC member Norm Easton. Operating under a grant from the BC Heritage Trust sponsored by the Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia, Easton will continue his explorations of the intertidal and submarine deposits offshore fromD(Ru 13. ASBC members are welcome to participate as volunteer field crew. More than a dozen ASBC members assisted the excavations last year, coming from as far away as Hazelton and Williams Lake for the opportunity to be part of a unique project that combines traditional land-based and underwater archaeology to locate prehistoric cultural deposits inundated by rising sea levels during the mid-Holocene. You need not be a diver to participate, but you do have to pre-register in order to facilitate attendance scheduling and field-camp accommodation arrangements. The fieldwork period will run August 2-25, 1991. For more information and to register, contact Charles Moore (as soon as possible) at 275-5427.

8 - The Midden Ne\Vs

ASBC digs medical history THE VICTORIA chapter of the a member) whether someone could ASBC is currently excavating an investigate the archaeological early historic garbage dump behind potential of the area. Keddie said the Royal Jubilee hospital. that the Victoria Archaeological Society would love to get involved. The project began when the The Victoria ASBC - with a Greater Victoria Hospital Society steadily growing membership - is approached Victoria's heritage now busily finding interesting advisory committee to place the artifacts associated with hospital Pemberton Memorial Operating activities in the 1890s. The Victoria Room, built in 1896, on its heritage Medical Society would like to see designation list. A new building the old operating room transformed will be constructed in an area that into a medical museum. The includes the location where the first artifacts recovered by the ASBC will hospital once stood. Norma be turned over for display in this Friedmann, the hospital facility museum, but first, they will be · planner, asked the committee (of described in a future issue of The which archaeologist Grant Keddie is Midden. D

Federal bill needs work

THE PROPOSED archaeological underwater archaeology societies limited scope of the proposed protection act released last will emphasize concerns that did legislation, which deals with December by then federal Minister come in regarding proposed archaeological resources but not of Communications Marcel Masse restrictions on underwater salvage other aspects of aboriginal heritage. has elicited considerable feedback. rights. The symposium also suggested that Elizabeth Snow, director of the Other government departments, archaeologists subscribe to a code of Archaeology Policy Office in Snow said, seem to be nervous ethics. Ottawa, summarized the comments about the costs of administering the for a meeting of the Canadian program. Also, they voiced Snow concluded that the Archaeological Association in concerns about the proposed permit consultation process has been Newfoundland last month. system and the still-to-be­ constructive and reported that the Responses from Canadian determined interaction with the various suggestions are now being archaeologists and archaeological proposed federal Environmental dealt with. The next step will be to groups express dissatisfaction with Assessment Act. obtain authority from Cabinet to lr the proposed permit system (too make changes to the draft complicated, too many restrictions) The Archaeology Policy Office legislation. The bill could be ready and with the exclusion of the held a special symposium earlier by this corning autumn, she said. Canadian Parks Service. Snow this year to solicit feedback from Whether the recent Cabinet received many sometimes the Native community. Snow high­ shuffle, which moved Masse out of contradictory comments on lighted issues raised by Native the Communications portfolio, will details of administration, penalties, participants: ownership, jurisdic­ affect the process, remains to be etc., and suggestions for a user-pay tion, and control of archaeological seen. Snow expects that proposed approach to impact assessment. resources; involvement of Native amendments to the Cultural She expressed apprehension that elders; the need for respect in Property Export and Import Act will the sparse response from divers and dealing with aboriginal objects; the go ahead in any event. D

The Midden - 9 Book Revie-ws ------

A fine Fortunately, such an error can be reference book easily corrected in future editions. Once again, Hilary Stewart has created a fine, fully accessible, Totem Poles, by Hilary Stewart. reference book that will be of value 1990. Douglas & Mcintyre, to serious students and interested Vancouver. 192 pp., ills., ind., bibl. lay people alike for years to come. I $29.95 (hardcover). am looking forward to her next project. 0 HILARY STEWART'S quiet enthu­ -Phyllis Mason siasm for Northwest Coast Native material culture has led to this new ASBC member Phyllis Mason is ·a book about totem poles. library technician who works at the The book is divided into three VCC-La.ngara library. sections. The first provides us with a cultural context for the poles, their various types, and how they were carved and raised. Part two describes the animals Current and and elements that are incorporated cohesive into each pole. There are also tips on how to differentiate among the artistic styles of each of the coast's Handbook of North American cultural groups. Indians. Vol. 7: Northwest Part three, the longest section, Coast, edited by Wayne Suttles. presents the poles themselves. 1990. Smithsonian Institution, Arranged one to a page, the 113 Washington, D.C. 777 pp., ills., poles span a geographic area from bibI., index. $65.00 (hardcover). the Douglas border-crossing in the south to Juneau, Alaska in the BIG, COMPREHENSIVE, informa­ north. As always with Hilary tive, and readable - it's truly Stewart's books, excellent maps encyclopaedic. make site locations clear. The book begins with brief The text gives the locations, summaries of the environment, carvers, history, elements, and languages, human biology, and styles of the poles. Each description cultural antecedents of the is illustrated by one of Stewart's Northwest Coast culture area. Next wonderful drawings. come six chapters on the history of There is one glaring production research and another six on the error - the illustrations for poles 70 history of contact. and 71, Sam and May Henderson's The bulk of the volume consists memorial poles, are switched. of 38 chapters (more than 500

10 ·The Midden pages) describing the aboriginal the volume, not least, the difficulty bibliography will endear it to peoples of the western coast of of finding the prehistory chapters. scholars. North America, from Alaska to Placing prehistory, traditional I recommend the Northwest southern Oregon. At the end, there ethnography, and modern native Coast volume to everyone who are three general chapters - on culture in a single (geographical) likes to read about the peoples and mythology, art, and the Indian sequence emphasizes cultural inter­ cultures of this region, as well as to Shaker Church. The respective relatedness and temporal conti­ those who value ready access to contributions are mainly by nuity, but section divisions would reference material. D academic anthropologists with facilitate reference use. Moreover, -Kathryn Bernick expertise in the particular topic; the key-map on page ix, which several are by Native authors. serves as a guide to the respective The production is as impressive culture groups, does not indicate Midden Editor Kathryn Bernick is an as the breadth of content. The the archaeological areas. archaeologist based in Vancouver: ·numerous attractive drawings and Standardizing nomenclature in­ crisp black and white photographs evitably provokes comment, though add substance to the wealth of it is necessary in a book of this type. information in the text, and detailed My complaint concerns the trans­ maps give geographic location formation of 'Gulf of Georgia (though some site-distribution map­ culture type' to 'Strait of Georgia figures have been misinterpreted by culture type.' Surely, if established the cartographer). archaeological phase names must be Midden readers might like to altered for editorial style require­ know that an article originally ments, suitable cross-references written for this volume by Charles should be included to aid readers Borden was published separately, in who look for further references. 1975, by the National Museums of Canada (Early Prehistory of the These types of problems stem Northwest Coast, ca. 11,000-5000 BP, from the unwieldy nature of editing Mercury Series ASC paper 45). This contributions by 59 scholars over a is not mentioned in the 20-year period. It was a gargantuan introduction, which is unfortunate task, and Wayne Suttles must be since its deletion from the commended for providing a Northwest Coast volume leaves current, cohesive anthropological some unexplained gaps (such as the view of Northwest Coast native Charles phase) . cultures. The volume will be a From an archaeological perspec­ classic general reference for years tive, there are a few problems with to come, and the wonderful

Look For...

"Rocky Mountain Fort: Archaeological Research and the Late Eighteenth­ century North West Company Expansion into British Columbia," by David Burley and Scott Hamilton. In BC Studies No.88 (Winter 1990-91), pp.3-20.

The Midden - 11 Permits ------

Permits issued by the B.C. Archaeology Branch March through May 1991:

1991·20 Sandra Zacharias: monitoring and data recovery, Crescent Beach. 1991·21 Morley Eldridge: impact assessment, DdRu 4, North Saanich. 1991·22 Keary Walde: impact assessment, petroleum and natural gas well sites, pipelines, and related works in northeastern BC.

1991·23 Morley Eldridge: impact assessment, Ministry of Transportation and Highways proposed gravel quarry, Upper Campbell Lake, Comox District.

1991-24 Diana French: impact assessment, Okanagan Centre Regional District. 1991-25 Richard Brolly: impact assessment, Westbank. 1991-26 Richard Brolly: impact assessment, proposed condominium development, east shore of west of Vernon. 1991-27 Robert Muir: impact assessment, proposed water-main development in northern Williams Lake. 1991-28 Sylvia Albright: evaluative test excavation, vicinity of proposed U re Creek logging road near Mount Currie.

1991-29 Leonard Ham: impact assessment, upgrade of Barnet Highway east of DhRr 10, Burna by/Port Moody. 1991-30 Ian Wilson: impact assessment, Clonard Bay, Queen Charlotte District. 1991-31 Alan McMillan: inventory and testing, Toquaht territory, western . 1991-32 Gordon Mohs: systematic data recovery, DgRn 23, Mission District Municipality.

1991-33 Morley Eldridge: monitoring and emergency impact management, natural gas pipeline, Oak Bay. 1991-34 Richard Brolly: impact assessment, proposed Coquitlam River flood control program, Coquitlam I.R. 2. 1991-35 Ian Wilson: impact assessment, BC Tel-Teleglobe Canada Ltd. light guide system, Vancouver and Galiano islands.

1991-36 Ian Wilson: inventory, proposed extension to Ure Creek logging haulroad and proposed cutblock, southwest Lake. 1991-37 Sandra Zacharias: inventory and impact assessment, proposed subdivision, 103 Mile Lake, Lillooet District. 1991-38 Sandra Zacharias: inventory and impact assessment, Lac La Hache, Lillooet District.

1991-39 H. Krentz: burial recovery, D(Rt 15, Galiano Island. 1991-4p Ian Wilson: impact assessment, Bearskin Bay, Queen Charlotte Islands.

PERMITS • PERMITS • PERMITS • PERMITS • PERMITS

12 - The Midden ------This Summer

Visit a Dig...

• . UBC' s field school taught by David Pokotylo joins a Sto:lo Tri.bal Council team directed by Gordon Mohs in excavating the 4500-year-old buried pit house site (DgRn 23} on a low terrace overlooking Hatzic Lake. A public interpretation program coordinated by Margaret Holm will conduct tours on weekdays between 9:00am and 4:00pm, from June 3 through July 31. There will also be two special weekend programs­ phone Joyce Johnson at 822-2567 for dates and times. Directions: From Mission, drive east on the Lougheed Hwy. Turn north onto Dewdney Trunk Road, then east (right) onto Sunnyside Drive. Continue to the end of Sunnyside Drive. Park. Follow dirt road to excavations.

• Galiano Island. Norm Easton (Yukon College) returns for a second season of investigations in the intertidal and submarine zones at Montague Harbour. Visitors welcome 7 days a week, August 3-25. Look for the volunteer crew on the beach near the park information board at Montague Harbour Marine Park.

See the New Plaque ...

• Locarno Beach. The original version was one of 100 heritage markers put up by the city of Vancouver to celebrate the 1986 centennial year. The ASBC recently replaced it with a more durable bronze plaque.

T. Spurgeon photo. The Midden- 13 (/) "tl < .-+ >-3 <0"1 Ill ::r (') § .-+ 0 ('1) () (5" N 0 c:; ~ s::: ::l 0 zw >< 0: ('1)< >- 0.. _... CJl ('1) N ::l c:; 0 (')