A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILL!ENT OF THE REQUPWENEMTS FOR THE DECdEE OF MASTER QF ARTS APE fights ~eservad. This thesis may not bs reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permis- sion oB tho author. APPROVAL Name : David Bruce Crowe-Swords Degree a Master of Arts Title of Thesis: The Carruthers Site; A Late Prehistoric Site in the Lower Fraser Valley. Examining Committee t Chairman : Herbert L. Alexander Senior Supervisor -fkiji-LYCaT1son E amining Committee P~U~M.Koroscrl Examining Committee ABSTRACT This thesis is an archaeological study of a pre- historic campsite, the Carruthers site, which lies in Katzie territory near Pitt meadows, British Columbia. Excavations in 1973 under my direction have provided new data of a late portion of lower Fkaser River prehistory. The investigations had three related objectivesa (1) excavation and analysis of archaeological materials from a little known locality; (2) testing for a discern- ible overlap between ethnographic and archaeological data; (3) detection of cultural similarities with material from the interior of British Columbia* An evaluation of previous ethnpgraphic and archaeological data was also undertaken as part of the overall study. The main part of the thesis 'consists of description and analysis of the artifacts recovered, Analysis of the tools indicates that the site was used primarily as a base for hunting and gatherbng activities, and secondarily, for / fishing. A comparison of the artifact assemblage with assemblages from other coast and interior sites ',suggests a date of A.D. 400-800 for the occupation of the Carruthers --.. --- 7 site, I Ethnographic information indicates that the Katzie Indfpns depended quite heavily on the Indian po,tato which I aboupds in the site's locality. Ground slate knives, the 1 I I I most frequent artifact type at the site, have bleen used in preparation of this foodstuff. Arguments fori the use of this knife are presented. In comparing the Carruthers site materip1 with I that from the B.C. Interior, little was gained in regard to insights into the problems of coastal-interior cultural relationships. There are some similarities, but these are of a somewhat diffuse nature. More research needs to be done in the intervening region in order to provide a decisive picture of prehistoric cultural relationships. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Graduate resoarch changes drarnaticaily tha lifo of a student. The apparent ste~ilityai most theses and how they read is rarely indicative af the author's psrs~nality~The same can be s3id of %h~ pages enclosed in this volume becausr3 it rsprasantc paoplo, placss, and things. Such ars my feulings whsn I attempt to list those uho have givan to ma and my work same part of themselves, I sincerely I-iap@these peopla have recsiwed some measurs of reciprocity. My special thanks go to Paul ELackwelf, Clark Closkey, Sally Johnson, Tish Moore, Nqlson Dlivsr, David Storm, April Struthers, Thea de Vos and Richard Youds. Withour, at: enthusiastic capable cpu~much Less would have been accomplished. Brian and Isobell Byrnes, I members of The British Columbia Archaeological Society, were both valuable additions and brightening aspects during the many days they spent working with us. E. J, Hickfn was most helpful and deserves a special thank you. Dr, J. BPum who graciously provided permission to work on lands under his care and Hank Tenbrink both deserve special recognition far their assistance and kindness. Brian Apland who provided his time and knowledge in photo~raphydeserves spacial recsynitivn as well, iinda Ritehum did the maps and graphs. Typing the Tina1 draft was dons by Janet Yamamoto, My thanks go also to Simon Fraser University for a graduate scholarshi:j which enabled sf~eedycomplatian oC ths thesis, The FedsraP Governmentqs Opportunetie8 fo~ the summer of 1972, Dr. Paul MorosciZ, the external examines an my de$enss committee, was vary keEpfwP as My senior supervisor Dr. H. L, Alexander has cajoled, criticized, praised, and worked with me. For this he is deserving of more than I can give, Dr. R, L. CarPson first provided me uith the dppestunity to pursue my interests. To Dr. David Bettisen I owe my existence at university, For Rim no thank you can ever be enough, my thanks For cont~ibutionsknown CHAPTER B.ac;kgsaund . a * . 9 HIT KATZIE TERRITORY2 RESOURCES A$?D ECOLOGY , , 19 Rasourc~s ., , , , , , , , . , , , , , , , 30 Summary . , . , . , , . , . , 37 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION AND STRATIGRAPHY 40 Features .~,,,~,o,a.,d,,,, 44 ANALYSIS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL MATERIALS a a * 59 INTRODUCTION . e s t, e e e a e 0 , * , , 5g Stone Endustry , . , . , . , . a , , , , Bone Industry , , . , . , , , . , , , Wood Industry , . , , . , , , . , LXST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 52 2 BimenaEono of Typa I Ground Slato Points * 3 Dimensions of' Type II Ground Slate Points . 5 $ oP Ground Slate Points by Type . * sfans or Co~pletaGround Slate Knives 7 Ground Slate KniPs Fragmsntst Edgs Typa and Thicknasa , . a . , . 8 Dimenoions UP Type I Adze Blades . 9 Di~isnslonsof Type I1 Adze Blades . 10 Dimansions of Type III Adze Blades . era and Whetstones Pw Each M 12 Pipa Fragmants Prom t4s ier;uihace Sita . LIST OF FIGURES PAGE Map sf Carruthers Site fin back pocket) . , Map Showing Location oP Carruthers Site , . 16 Distribution o? Harkomelem Groups on the Frassr River . a , . , . a , , , , 25 Diagram of Pit Distributionr Mound "G" a 43 Profile Section of Maund "Am . , , , , , 45 PrsPfPe cP Clay-Lined Dsprsssionr Mound "Aw 47 Profile oP Test Pit8 Mound "GU , . , , . , 49 Clay-tined Dspressionso Mound "Cn 5% Profile aP Vlound "G* Showing Extant of Occupation Floor . * , * . , 56 Small Triangular Unstemmed Points . a , El Large Contracting Stemmed Points , , , , , 55 Side Notched Points . , . , . , , a * a , 68 Small Stemmed Points , . , a . , * , , 70 Corner Notched Points , . , , . , , , , , , 72 Long, Narrow Thin Stemmed Paints, a-d Leaf Shaped Points e, f , . * . , . a 75 Chippsd Stone Taols a, KniPe, b-e Drills, f-j Scrapers and/or Knives .....o.ae~ae,.e.e 80 Preformst a-c 8iPaces, d. Core . , , 04 Ground Slate Points a-d Side Notched Points e-j Stemmed Points k-m Unstammed Points . , a 89 Other Ground Skate Toal camp let^ Ground Slate Knivas . , , , , Graph oi Slate Knife Fragments by Thick- ~~~S~~oa~eeeaas~amff%se Type I Adze Blades , , . , . , , , a . TypaIIRdzeDladas * a Type IT1 Adze Blades , . a , , , . a Abraders and Saws , , , , - , , , . a Abrader Resting on Granitic Pebble . , , . fVisce?lansous Ground Objects , , , . , , Wamm~rstones , * , , . , , . mauls .I.**....*...Is... Pipe Fragnents . a . Stone Vessels . , . * . Subs~qu~ntanalysis cQ this data lead8 te csmparatfve research with ps~iouslysxeav ted rnatsrial. Wfator eaB event8 betw \ f Lisw under ohf ch causality can ba past. But, this p and space Rave been produced by culidsbl uva.,iutio~, ;-J;ccQ- fore, differences betwoen cuPtures can snly bs undazstaod in terms af the intricate nuances preduesd by the relationships for an 8ntfre discipline, Xndiwfduala must speak $or thsa3- selves, 1% is prapoasd here that by understanding man5s past we nay perhaps better Pathom the present and pradfct the Tuture, ArchaeoPagy has a raEe to lay in this proe@ss, d to think that the artifset is the Early hlstsrical and ethnographic saurcss referring to souths@stern Britleh Columbia are abundant, They begin @Pth Russian, Spanish, sad British accounts during explora- pP8s1 overland journoys such as Simon PraserUs have also addad ts the published data* Studies by trained ethno- graphers in British Columbia were initiated by Fraz Boas, Harlan I, Smith, and the 3maLeur James HflPITout, Tsday wa1uabl.s sources exist in flesh and blosd, Curaful scrutiny sf these published documents, in conjunction with analysis af archaeologi- caL data, providss comparative information upon whfek conch- sions and synthesis are based. This is the direct historical Praser dslta, This sacond period can bs characterized aa % fntsnsfva cxcawatfsns which kontinues fnts the present, ABB this research is dw loping a elear picture of Coast Saliah prehistory. Although suSsfantPaE, khs amount QP completed $i@fd work Haaves much to be desired in kerms oP quandifiad datas Nors PfaPd &ark must be done before urbaniza- tion erases the pos~PbfPPtysf' e lems of time and space fw Cogs% Salish pzehist 2~ ~tfH%p ginsculvsd. I and Fraser doPta re ions. Tho Frasea Canyon, wkere'the Pencjsst chranslagy exists, and th F~aserdslta, ara separated in spacB by only one kun d mfPs8. Hn time the gap Ss 1,700 yeaas, Earfy sites Ravs not y een found on the delta. tainly man mas tha~sconsdderabfy ba 2,588 8, Ce? the earliest date at the St. Nungo Cannery site (CaPvert P990), and probably earlier than 5,800 8, C. date at tha GPenrdas sit@, This tsmps~algap is likely due to the foci2 of' archaeological research. A IargePy unexplored area, from an excavation pesspeelive, exists between the Canyon and the delta, Evidence such as pit housesp an intsrior trait found as Par west as Agassiz, may indicate s blend of interior and coastal traits an the Frassr delt Skudying %his p@@p@ntb$@m germane &s un IA.%~.@@adoptatisn and Dykes are %RE resulting in nu@ ry a$ a Per Rsr~islands in the Strafk of G I Fmsm Lowland. The Frsaer and Georgia Low1 units, dPPf'ar in that ths hrrnf~ris d~ cifti~nalin stmetwr~while the fatter is erosianaf, FBP mflP@nnia the Fra ~p Lowland &a8 been 9 ost cf the Fras ountains, s magor Rfc $ea%urs, ws sre variable, ~ldby Haus @r(1966) as lying within tk@ @e fock - rsst@~wre foreat, Douglas Pfr ( &ax~f:;%fr),ueatsrn asd ceder (Tguga q~~ndiaand are the principal eoolff~rr, UP ePP th:? eultrarol eulturta sad the' hytic aanife~susfarest perhaps Pit ths ePQieaBly, SukLP@@ (1962) suggest s iaP ~@letPonbetmeen th@ ougPas fir sub- efimax forest en historic distribwt , occupied by SaPfsh speaksr ed of Katnfa terrfBsry.