Category: Uncategorized

Dentalium Spears and Models

There were many Indigenous names for shells of the mollusk, Antalis pretiosa (Sowerby 1860), formally Dentalium pretiosum, but they were usually called Hai-qua in the Chinook trade jargon. I will use mostly the term dentalium here, as it has commonly been used in the literature. Much has been written about these shells and their use as adornments on the body and clothing, and as trade currency, among Indigenous peoples along the coast from central Alaska to Baja California. None of the writers actually observed the process of capturing the dentalium, but a few received information from Indigenous individuals who did, or remembered stories about how it was done (Clark 1963; Barton 1991, 1994; Galois and Mackie 1990a, 1990b: Andrews 1989; … Continue reading “Dentalium Spears and Models”

Stinging Nettle. Indigenous Processing and Use

Stinging Nettle, in various species of the genus Urtica, was an important resource for Indigenous people across the northern hemisphere of the planet. Its new shoots were eaten in the spring as a source of vitamins and minerals and the string made from its stalk was used to make everything from nets to the foundations for light clothing. See Skoglund et. al (2025) for overview of European usage. As stinging nettle needs partial shade and mineral rich soil that contains potassium and uric acid, it grows profusely on the cultural deposits built up at old village sites. The importance of nettle (Urtica dioica) in southern British Columbia is made clear in letters between James Douglas and the Hudson’s Bay company … Continue reading “Stinging Nettle. Indigenous Processing and Use”

Observations on the Shape of Adze Blades and Hafts

In the collection of the Royal B.C. Museum there is a unique distal section of an adzing tool composed of an elk antler sleeve with a nephrite adze blade still in place. There has been a debate as to weather these were fit onto the end of a strait chisel or a bent elbow adze and why some adzes were angled toward one side at the proximal end. Many broken to complete elk antler hafts have been found in ancient sites in the general area around the Salish Sea, but finding one with the cutting blade still in-situ is extremely rare. This one, with the Borden number DfRs-Y:11, is a very rare example. It was found in a midden at … Continue reading “Observations on the Shape of Adze Blades and Hafts”

Origin of the Signs of Lək̓ʷəŋən Project

The origin of many Indigenous related projects, such as the Signs of Lək̓ʷəŋən, get lost in time. This project began in 1993, as part of the plans to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the building of Fort Victoria and 125th anniversary of Victoria becoming the Capital of British Columbia. The Premiers Protocol Office invited individuals to established a celebrations committee from which a sub-committee was formed to celebrate Indigenous history. The sub-committee was made up of the late Chief Andy Thomas of the Esquimalt Nation, the late Chief Robert Sam, then a Councillor, and myself, then a curator of Archaeology at the Royal B.C. Museum. The celebrations sub-committee agreed that I would come up with a list of traditional place … Continue reading “Origin of the Signs of Lək̓ʷəŋən Project”

The Archaeology of the Gorge Waterway. Part 3

Portage Inlet Here I include the location of an old Xwsepsum village, once located at Maple Point near the entrance way to Portage Inlet. This archaeological site, DcRu-4, includes the area of Xwsepsum Park, the grounds of the Historic Craigflower school and the south end of the new Craigflower school west of Admirals Road. Two major archaeological excavations were undertaken here, James Deans, who worked in this area in 1853, noted that DcRu-4, was a previous village. “They moved in the not too distant past” (Deans 1898). He worked on the McKenzie farm with the Xwsepsum chief and other members of the Xwsepsum band, which is the likely source of his information. Jimmy Fraser, who was the grandson of the … Continue reading “The Archaeology of the Gorge Waterway. Part 3”

The Archaeology of the Gorge Waterway. Part 2.

Resources of the Gorge We know that the Gorge must have provided a wealth of resources for the Lək̓ʷəŋən peoples. In 1843 James Douglas noted that the Gorge provided excellent fishing resources. Coho and some Chum salmon ran up the Gorge with the greatest numbers being present in June. Large herring runs came in April and trout were caught by Lək̓ʷəŋən peoples all winter with weir and basket traps on what Douglas called the “Gorge river”. This could refer either to Colquitz creek or the narrow Gorge Falls area of the inlet. Although there are no historic observations of traps in place, it is likely that similar traps were used at a few narrow locations along the Gorge (Figure 1). … Continue reading “The Archaeology of the Gorge Waterway. Part 2.”

Indigenous Bark Shredders of British Columbia

August 05, 2024. Preface The study of the history of bark shredders and bark beaters is important as they were used in the production of one of the most significant raw materials used by Indigenous peoples on the coast of British Columbia – cedar. As Richard Hebda has shown: “Beginning about 5,000 years ago, closed forests dominated by Douglas-fir and including western red cedar (Thuja plicata) and western hemlock developed in the region as climate cooled and moistened” (Hebda 2024). Richard Hebda and Rolf Mathews (1983) showed the correlation between the “maximums of the cedar pollen curves 2000 to 5000 years ago and the development of massive timber working”. They suggested that “it was only during the latter part of … Continue reading “Indigenous Bark Shredders of British Columbia”

Indigenous Combs of British Columbia

By Grant Keddie. Preface Combs are artifacts used by many cultures around the world over thousands of years. They are used primarily for disentangling and arranging the hair, but also as decorative items for holding the hair and head pieces, they have evolved into symbols of status or authority and cultural identity. To make a point, I show an extreme physical example of an Ashanti comb from Ghana in figure 1. Large Ashanti prestige combs were given by men to women as an act of devotion and commitment. In the 1970s, African combs took on a role in African American culture and politics where they became a sign of solidarity to the Black Power movement as a cultural statement. Combs … Continue reading “Indigenous Combs of British Columbia”