article

Concerning Athapaskan prehistory in British Columbia

western Canadian journal of anthropology5 (3-4) • Published In 1975 • Pages: 21-63

By: Donahue, Paul F..

Abstract
Donahue outlines the last 7,000 years of prehistory in British Columbia. He considers that a, 'plateau pattern' was established in central British Columbia four millenia ago. As this would include microblade technology, a trait that is usually placed outside the Proto-Athapaskan tradition, it is unclear whether this means Donahue also believes that the Proto-Athapaskan tradition was established four millenia ago in central British Columbia. He discusses the Ulkatcho (FfSk 1) and Tezli (FgSd 1) sites that he test excavated in 1970 and 1971. Ulkatcho was an abandoned Carrier Indian village of proto-historic/historic occupation and with an earlier microblade component. Tezli, which Donahue describes in greater detail, was a housepit site with dates from 2400 B.C. to A.D. 1710. A few sites on the coast are then described to help depict interior-coast interaction as evidenced at Prince Rubert by obsidian, ochre, and presumably other perishable and non-perishable trade artifacts. The small amount of trade was indicative of the cultural conservatism that existed for both areas. Donahue also briefly touches on interaction between British Columbia and the Yukon and British Columbia and the Plains.
Subjects
Archaeological excavation methods
Location
Prehistory
Bone, horn, and shell technology
Lithic industries
Dwellings
Weapons
General tools
Chronologies and culture sequences
Typologies and classifications
tradition
Proto-Athapaskans
Region
North America
Sub Region
Arctic and Subarctic
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Archaeologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Notes
Paul F. Donahue
Includes bibliographical references (p. 57-63)
LCCN
81039011
LCSH
Athapaskan Indians--Antiquities