A Comparative Analysis of Two Early Fur Trade Period Sites on the Lower Columbia River of Oregon and Washington
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A Comparative Analysis of Two Early Fur Trade Period Sites on the Lower Columbia River of Oregon and Washington A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts with a Major in Anthropology in the College of Graduate Studies University of Idaho by Rachel K. Stokeld Major Professor: Stacey L. Camp, Ph. D. Committee Members: Robert L. Sappington, Ph. D.; Douglas Deur, Ph. D. Department Chair: Mark Warner, Ph. D. July 2016 ii AUTHORIZATION TO SUBMIT THESIS This thesis of Rachel K. Stokeld submitted for the degree of Master of Art with an Major in Anthropology and titled “A Comparative Analysis of Two Early Fur Trade Period Sites on the Lower Columbia River of Oregon and Washington,” has been reviewed in final form. Permission, as indicated by the signature and dates below, is now granted to submit final copies to the College of Graduate Studies for approval. Major Professor: ______________________________ Date: ______________ Stacey L. Camp, Ph. D. Committee Members: ______________________________ Date: ______________ Robert L. Sappington, Ph. D. ______________________________ Date: ______________ Douglas Deur, Ph. D. Department Administrator: ______________________________ Date: ______________ Mark Warner, Ph. D. iii ABSTRACT The Lower Chinook of the Lower Columbia River are among the first Natives in the region to have direct contact with Euroamericans in the late 1700s. When maritime fur traders arrived on the Columbia River soon after, the Lower Chinook actively engaged in the trade, incorporating foreign traders and goods into the pre-existing inter-tribal trading system. Potentially hundreds of ships visited and two terrestrial fur trade companies operated posts on the Lower Columbia River during the early fur trade period (ca. 1790-1820) but descriptions of their activities and the goods they traded are largely lacking. Archaeological analysis can increase knowledge of little understood periods in history through identifying patterns in material culture and connecting them to socio-historical factors. The purpose of this thesis is to identify variations and similarities within the two earliest fur-trade associated assemblages on the Lower Columbia, one Native and one Euroamerican in context, to address questions regarding the earliest adoption of mass produced European and Chinese material culture among the Lower Chinook. This will be accomplished by comparative analysis of trade goods imported by Euroamerican traders during the early fur trade period as identified through examination historic of records. DEDICATION For Cheifie, who never minded a writing day. Success is the child of drudgery and perseverance. It cannot be coaxed or bribed; pay the price and it is yours. - Orison Swett Marden TABLE OF CONTENTS Authorization to Submit ............................................................................................................. ii Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... iii Dedication ................................................................................................................................. iv Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................v List of Figures ........................................................................................................................... ix List of Tables...............................................................................................................................x List of Abbreviations................................................................................................................. xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................1 A. Methods ......................................................................................................................2 B. Previous work .............................................................................................................3 CHAPTER 2: ETHNOGRAPHIC CONTEXT ...........................................................................5 A. Introduction ................................................................................................................5 B. The Lower Chinook: a definition ...............................................................................6 C. Chinookan resource use ............................................................................................. 9 a. Animal resources ...........................................................................................10 b. Plant resources ..............................................................................................13 D. Social, political, and economic organization ...........................................................17 a. Settlement patterns ........................................................................................17 b. Sociopolitical organization............................................................................20 c. Marriage and kinship .....................................................................................22 ii d. Status .............................................................................................................22 e. Pre-contact trade ............................................................................................25 E. Chapter summary ......................................................................................................27 CHAPTER 3: HISTORIC CONTEXT .....................................................................................28 A. Early Euroamerican activity on the Northwest Coast ..............................................29 B. The China trade and the Golden Round ...................................................................30 C. The early fur trade period on the Columbia River ...................................................35 D. Terrestrial Fur Trade on the Lower Columbia .........................................................38 a. Fort Astoria ...................................................................................................38 b. The Canadian Fur Companies and the Fort George Period ..........................45 c. Trade goods imported by early terrestrial fur traders on the Columbia River ......................................................................................................46 E. Transitions in the fur trade ........................................................................................50 F. The Lower Chinook and the fur trade: effects and responses ...................................51 G. Chapter summary .....................................................................................................55 CHAPTER 4: ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL OVERVIEW ..............................56 A. Archaeological context at the mouth of the Columbia River ...................................56 B. Site overview and historical background: Middle Village/McGowan .....................60 C. Archaeological background: Middle Village/McGowan .........................................64 D. Site description: Middle Village ..............................................................................65 E. Site overview and historical background: Fort Astoria/George ...............................67 iii F. Archaeological background: Fort Astoria/George ....................................................70 G. Site description: Fort Astoria/George ......................................................................71 CHAPTER 5: ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................74 A. Artifact terminology, manufacture, and chronology ................................................76 a. Ceramics ........................................................................................................76 b. Glass beads ....................................................................................................84 c. Nails...............................................................................................................85 B. Ceramic analysis methods ........................................................................................86 C. Glass bead analysis methods ....................................................................................87 D. Nail analysis methods...............................................................................................85 E. Results: ceramic analysis ..........................................................................................89 a. Middle Village results ...................................................................................89 b. Fort Astoria/George results ...........................................................................96 F. Results: bead analysis .............................................................................................103 a. Middle Village results .................................................................................103 b. Fort Astoria/George results .........................................................................105 G. Results: nail analysis ..............................................................................................107 a. Middle Village results .................................................................................107