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Identifying Microblade Function at EeRb-140 and EeRb-144, Kamloops, British Columbia by Ryan M. Dickie B.A., Simon Fraser University, 2008 Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Archaeology Faculty of Environment Ryan Michael Dickie 2015 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Spring 2015 Approval Name: Ryan Michael Dickie Degree: Master of Arts Title: Identifying Microblade Function at EeRb-140 and EeRb-144, Kamloops, B.C. Examining Committee: Chair: Ross Jamieson Professor George Nicholas Senior Supervisor Professor Robert J. Muir Supervisor Senior Lecturer Stanley Copp External Examiner Professor and Department Chair Sociology and Anthropology Langara College March 6, 2015 Date Defended/Approved: ii Partial Copyright Licence iii Abstract The microblade industry of the Pacific Northwest represents a discrete artifact category that is often cited as temporal and/or cultural markers, yet their precise function is poorly understood. The research presented here explored microblade function through use- wear analyses of assemblages collected from two Middle Period-aged sites (7,500-4,000 years BP) on the Kamloops Indian Reserve, EeRb-140 and EeRb-144. These two sites, related closely in terms of space and time, offer a good opportunity to explore some of the assumptions about microblade and their potential functions. Microblades are considered important indicators of Middle Period components. When encountered they are often presumed to reflect either elements of composite hunting weapons or implements utilized for a suite of specialized activities. However the results of the use- wear analysis indicate that, at least at EeRb-140 and EeRb-144, microblades served many purposes. The functional inferences observed in the Kamloops microblade assemblages indicate a degree of multifunctionality consistent with previous functional studies. Keywords: microblades; use-wear analysis; Interior Plateau; Middle Period; experimental archaeology iv Dedication To my children, Isla, Henry, and Rheo, who perhaps sacrificed the most. Now it's time to play! v Acknowledgements No research project is accomplished in a vacuum. There are many people to whom I am grateful for their enduring support. I thank my committee - George Nicholas, Bob Muir and Stan Copp for their valuable insight, guidance, and perhaps most importantly, their patience. I owe gratitude to the many folks in the SFU Archaeology Department, in particular Roy Carlson, Peter Locher, and Shannon Wood and the members of my cohort. I am thankful for the support of my family and friends who always kept the fire lit under me and especially my wife Tara who kept stoking the coals to the highest degree. Finally, I thank Jesse Morin, Catherine Carlson, Morgan Ritchie, Nova Pierson, Marlowe Kennedy, Richard Brolly, Geordie Howe, Ian Franck, Diana Alexander, Arnoud Stryd and all my colleagues who have had to weather far too many one-sided discussions about microblades, but nonetheless always appeared interested and always offered their constructive insights. vi Table of Contents Approval .......................................................................................................................... ii Partial Copyright Licence ............................................................................................... iii Abstract .......................................................................................................................... iv Dedication ....................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ vi Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... vii List of Tables .................................................................................................................. xi List of Figures................................................................................................................ xii Chapter 1. Introduction: Big Questions About a Small Artifact .............................. 1 1.1. Setting the Scene ................................................................................................... 4 1.2. Study Area .............................................................................................................. 5 1.2.1. The Sites ................................................................................................... 7 1.3. Approaches to Functional Analysis ......................................................................... 9 1.4. Organization of Thesis .......................................................................................... 10 Chapter 2. The Context for the Investigation of the Kamloops Microblade Assemblages ......................................................................................... 12 2.1. Paleoenvironmental History .................................................................................. 13 2.1.1. The Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene (~13,000–9,000 BP) ................. 13 2.1.2. The Early to Mid-Holocene (9,000–5,000) ............................................... 14 2.1.3. The Mid-Holocene (~5,000 BP) to Present .............................................. 14 2.2. The Culture History of the Interior Plateau of British Columbia ............................. 15 2.2.1. The Early Period (~11,000–7,500 BP) ..................................................... 15 2.2.2. The Middle Period (7,500–3,500 BP) ....................................................... 16 2.2.3. The Late Period (3500–200 BP) .............................................................. 17 2.3. Microblade Technology in Interior Plateau Prehistory ........................................... 19 2.3.1. The Spatial and Temporal Aspects of Microblade Technology ................. 19 2.3.2. Microblades and Athapaskans ................................................................. 21 2.3.3. Current Theories on Microblade Function in the Pacific Northwest .......... 21 2.3.4. Discussion ............................................................................................... 23 2.4. Microblade Sites in the South Thompson River Valley .......................................... 24 2.4.1. EdRa-14 .................................................................................................. 25 2.4.2. EdQx 41 and 42....................................................................................... 26 2.4.3. EdQx-48 .................................................................................................. 27 2.4.4. EeRf-1 ..................................................................................................... 28 2.5. Middle Period Sites on the Kamloops Indian Reserve No.1 .................................. 28 2.5.1. EeRb-130 ................................................................................................ 29 2.5.2. EeRb-190 ................................................................................................ 30 2.5.3. EeRb-77 .................................................................................................. 31 2.6. Discussion ............................................................................................................ 32 2.7. Chapter Summary ................................................................................................ 34 vii Chapter 3. Shovels and Dirt, Rocks and Bone: The Results of Excavations at EeRb-140 and EeRb-144 .............................................. 35 3.1. Project Background and Locale ............................................................................ 35 3.1.1. The SCES-SFU Field School Program, 1991–2004 ................................. 36 3.1.2. Summary of Survey and Testing Program ............................................... 39 3.2. EeRb-140 ............................................................................................................. 40 3.2.1. The Artifact Assemblage .......................................................................... 42 3.2.2. Microblades ............................................................................................. 42 Raw Material Composition ..................................................................................... 45 Edge Angle ............................................................................................................. 46 Spatial Patterning ................................................................................................... 46 3.2.3. Flaked Stone Tools .................................................................................. 50 Stone Tool Classes ................................................................................................ 50 Raw Material Composition ..................................................................................... 50 3.2.4. Bone Artifacts .......................................................................................... 51 3.2.5. Shell Artifacts .......................................................................................... 51 3.2.6. Organic Remains ..................................................................................... 52 3.2.7. Features .................................................................................................. 52 3.3. EeRb-144