Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Artist Statement
The archaeological record of the Middle Fraser Canyon provides abundant evidence of social inequality. While inequality in this region is typically identified on an intra-site basis, it has rarely been examined using inter-site data. By pulling together evidence from three different sites, it is possible to see a pattern of households with differential access to resources including food and prestige items.
Located in south-central British Columbia, the Middle Fraser Canyon is home to a wide variety of environments. The sites being considered here were pithouse villages. A pithouse is a semi-subterranean structure where a pit is dug and then a roof constructed over it and used during the winter. These large pithouse villages were occupied between 1900 and 800 years ago by complex hunter-gatherers who relied heavily on salmon for subsistence. Around 1200 years ago, the population peaked at over 8000 people in the area before a drop in salmon caused the population to decline and the people to abandon the villages.
This poster considers archaeological evidence such as artifacts, burials[PA1] , faunal and floral remains, and features from the Bell, Bridge River, and Keatley Creek sites. [PA2] By studying the faunal and floral remains, as well as stone tools, we can determine the subsistence patterns of the people who lived in these villages. The occupants’ use of space can be seen in their storage facilities and activity areas within the pithouse. The presence of prestige items can be an indicator of social inequality, as people of higher status would have better access to those types of goods.
For social inequality to get a foothold, there are different theories. Brian Hayden proposes the aggrandizer/accumulator idea, where certain ambitious individuals take advantage of surplus resources to further their own designs. However, the fact that inequality appears suddenly and simultaneously at both Keatley Creek and Bridge River makes this an unlikely explanation. A more plausible catalyst for social inequality in the Mid-Fraser is the strain on resources which caused people to adopt different strategies for survival. Around 1200 BP, people in the area faced reduced access to critical resources. Subsequently, cooperation in labor declined, and social inequality appeared.
By drawing data from multiple sites, most specifically large pithouse villages, this study will provide insights into social behavior not always recognized in single site studies. Because social inequality is unusual among hunter-gatherers, researching how it gets a foothold can tell us much about the nature of social inequality. The study also provides insight into the cultural history of the indigenous people of the Middle Fraser Canyon.
Mentor Name
Anna Prentiss
Inter-site Evidence of Social Inequality in the Middle Fraser Canyon, British Columbia
UC North Ballroom
The archaeological record of the Middle Fraser Canyon provides abundant evidence of social inequality. While inequality in this region is typically identified on an intra-site basis, it has rarely been examined using inter-site data. By pulling together evidence from three different sites, it is possible to see a pattern of households with differential access to resources including food and prestige items.
Located in south-central British Columbia, the Middle Fraser Canyon is home to a wide variety of environments. The sites being considered here were pithouse villages. A pithouse is a semi-subterranean structure where a pit is dug and then a roof constructed over it and used during the winter. These large pithouse villages were occupied between 1900 and 800 years ago by complex hunter-gatherers who relied heavily on salmon for subsistence. Around 1200 years ago, the population peaked at over 8000 people in the area before a drop in salmon caused the population to decline and the people to abandon the villages.
This poster considers archaeological evidence such as artifacts, burials[PA1] , faunal and floral remains, and features from the Bell, Bridge River, and Keatley Creek sites. [PA2] By studying the faunal and floral remains, as well as stone tools, we can determine the subsistence patterns of the people who lived in these villages. The occupants’ use of space can be seen in their storage facilities and activity areas within the pithouse. The presence of prestige items can be an indicator of social inequality, as people of higher status would have better access to those types of goods.
For social inequality to get a foothold, there are different theories. Brian Hayden proposes the aggrandizer/accumulator idea, where certain ambitious individuals take advantage of surplus resources to further their own designs. However, the fact that inequality appears suddenly and simultaneously at both Keatley Creek and Bridge River makes this an unlikely explanation. A more plausible catalyst for social inequality in the Mid-Fraser is the strain on resources which caused people to adopt different strategies for survival. Around 1200 BP, people in the area faced reduced access to critical resources. Subsequently, cooperation in labor declined, and social inequality appeared.
By drawing data from multiple sites, most specifically large pithouse villages, this study will provide insights into social behavior not always recognized in single site studies. Because social inequality is unusual among hunter-gatherers, researching how it gets a foothold can tell us much about the nature of social inequality. The study also provides insight into the cultural history of the indigenous people of the Middle Fraser Canyon.