A Historic Archaeology of Nuu-Chah-Nulth Barkley Sound: Material and Economic Change Through the Nineteenth Century

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A Historic Archaeology of Nuu-Chah-Nulth Barkley Sound: Material and Economic Change Through the Nineteenth Century A Historic Archaeology of Nuu-chah-nulth Barkley Sound: Material and Economic Change through the Nineteenth Century by Ian Sellers B.A. (Hons.), University of British Columbia, 2009 Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Archaeology Faculty of Environment Ian Sellers 2013 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Summer 2013 Approval Name: Ian Sellers Degree: Master of Arts Title of Thesis: A Historic Archaeology of Nuu-chah-nulth Barkley Sound: Material and Economic Change through the Nineteenth Century Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. David Burley Professor Dr. Alan McMillan Supervisor Adjunct Professor Dr. Ross Jamieson Supervisor Assistant Professor Robert Muckle External Examiner Department of Anthropology Capilano University Date Defended/Approved: July 5, 2013 ii Partial Copyright Licence iii Abstract During the nineteenth century, the Nuu-chah-nulth of Barkley Sound on Vancouver Island were severely reduced by disease, transformed by political amalgamation, and constrained through reserve allocation. Trade waxed and waned in successive fur, logging, and fishing industries. Yet, through these episodic social and economic shifts, the Nuu-chah-nulth continued to use their traditional territories and resources in creative ways. This thesis evaluates ethnohistorical descriptions of material change through an analysis of post-contact contexts at six village sites in Barkley Sound. Although the Nuu-chah-nulth were engaged in trade with Europeans from the 1780s onward, their material culture did not change dramatically until the last decades of the nineteenth century. The influx of glass, metal, and ceramic goods during this time represents new modes of engagement with non-indigenous economies, but the assemblage remained distinctly Nuu-chah-nulth, as it was reconstituted within sites defined over thousands of years of continuous occupation. Keywords: Nuu-chah-nulth; Historical Archaeology; Barkley Sound; Colonialism; Material Culture; Political Economy iv Acknowledgements I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to research the rich material culture of the Toquaht and Tseshaht nations. I hope that in some small way my work contributes to the broader oral and written histories of the Nuu-chah-nulth in Barkley Sound. This research has been possible only with the continued support of Alan McMillan and Denis St. Claire, who brought me onto their project and offered their considerable knowledge of Nuu-chah-nulth ethnohistory and archaeology; and Ross Jamieson, whose critical insight proved essential at every step during the completion of this thesis. v Table of Contents Approval.......................................................................................................................... ii Partial Copyright Licence ................................................................................................ iii Abstract...........................................................................................................................iv Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... v Table of Contents ............................................................................................................vi List of Tables ..................................................................................................................ix List of Figures .................................................................................................................xi List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................xv 1. Introduction and Theoretical Background .......................................................... 1 1.1. ‘Acculturation’ in Anthropology ............................................................................... 3 1.2. Episodic Change on the Northwest Coast .............................................................. 8 1.3. Historical Archaeology on the Northwest Coast .................................................... 11 2. Sites and Survey Methods ................................................................................. 15 2.1. Methods and Site Locations ................................................................................. 15 2.1.1. Archaeology in Barkley Sound: An Overview ............................................ 18 2.1.2. Methods .................................................................................................... 19 2.1.3. Toquaht Project ........................................................................................ 20 Toquaht Sites ........................................................................................... 20 T’ukwa’a (DfSh-23A and B) ................................................................. 20 Ma’acoah (DfSi-5) ............................................................................... 24 Ch’umaat’a (DfSi-4)............................................................................. 27 Ch’uch’aa (DfSj-30) ............................................................................. 31 2.1.4. Tseshaht Project ....................................................................................... 32 Tseshaht Sites .......................................................................................... 34 Hiikwis (DfSh 16) ................................................................................ 34 Uukwatis (DfSh-15) ............................................................................. 36 3. Assemblage by Type .......................................................................................... 39 3.1. “Early” Period Manufacture Types ........................................................................ 43 3.1.1. Non-ferrous Metal ..................................................................................... 47 3.1.2. Ferrous Metal............................................................................................ 50 3.1.3. Abalone .................................................................................................... 52 3.2. “Late” Period Manufacture Types ......................................................................... 54 3.2.1. Glass ........................................................................................................ 58 Bottle and Storage Glass .......................................................................... 60 Tableware ................................................................................................. 70 Cut Glass ............................................................................................ 70 Pressed Glass ..................................................................................... 71 Window Glass ........................................................................................... 73 3.2.2. Metal ......................................................................................................... 74 Ferrous Metal ........................................................................................... 74 Stoves ................................................................................................. 75 Files .................................................................................................... 77 Fasteners ............................................................................................ 78 Canning .............................................................................................. 81 vi Cutlery and Tableware ........................................................................ 82 Other ................................................................................................... 86 Non-ferrous Metal ..................................................................................... 86 Timepieces ......................................................................................... 87 3.2.3. Ceramics .................................................................................................. 90 Tableware ........................................................................................... 96 Pipes ................................................................................................. 101 Other ................................................................................................. 103 3.2.4. Composite .............................................................................................. 104 Electrical ................................................................................................. 104 Sparkplug .......................................................................................... 104 Batteries ............................................................................................ 105 Lighting Devices ..................................................................................... 107 Firearms ................................................................................................. 110 Fishing .................................................................................................... 115 Clothing and Ornament ........................................................................... 116 Sewing .............................................................................................. 117 Footwear ........................................................................................... 119
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