Did Salmon Rule?
Enquiring when intensive storage and sedentism began on the Northwest Coast
Introduction
Background Namu, located in the traditional territory of the Heiltsuk Nation on the central coast of British Columbia is an archaeological obscurity, as no one can be sure of the actual time frame of intensive storage and sedimentation occurrences. On the Northwest Coast "salmon remains, the representation of cranial elements versus vertebrae, mass capture technology and storage structures are being debated as evidence for large-scale salmon storage" (Cannon and Yang, 2006). The use of this knowledge is to acquire sustainable information of when the sedentism and storage actually began.
Thesis
After investigating the work of Monks …show more content…
With this knowledge they believed that with such a high quantity of one species, it is rare that it would be consumed all at once. This alluding to the fact that they would need to store the fish to keep it fresh. Cannon and Yang (2006) also establish that with the type of fish that was found, it is ethnographically recorded as "preferable for storage because of their low fat content " (Cannon and Yang, 2006). In addition to stored salmon, herring in the spring is a good indication that the occupation of the Namu was year round. Although storage and settlement isn't necessary for hunter gatherers it does contribute to a better way of survival and is "widely linked to population growth, surplus production, and the development of social inequality" (Cannon and Yang, 2006). The consistency of their taxonomic profiles and the extractions noted from that time period, are all indicators and correlated to settlements, storage and, permanent habilitation of the Namu population, likely beginning at around 5000 cal …show more content…
Cannon and Yang's arguments are based largely on the amounts of salmon as a means of survival. The anthropologists state that " a variety of fish shellfish, mammal and bird species were harvested" but concluded with " salmon and herring [as] the main foci of the subsistence economy throughout the last 7000 years" (Cannon and Yang, 2006). Although basing most of their argument on salmon, they do make convincing points when providing other sources as a means of year round survival. After viewing data provided by Monk and Orchard on the amount of salmon escapement, remains and weight percentages of fish found at the Namu location, I initially questioned if that would be enough to sustain a small village, especially for yearlong usage. The top 15 streams of pink salmon consist of 85 percent of salmon escapement, this not including the Namu river (Cannon, 2011). Questioning the ability that pink salmon could even support a major fishery (Monks and Orchard, 2011). In terms of storage, Cannon and Yang provide convincing arguments with DNA evidence of an abundant amount of pink salmon vertebrae and facts on pink salmon being ethnographically perfect for storage because of the fat
Enquiring when intensive storage and sedentism began on the Northwest Coast
Introduction
Background Namu, located in the traditional territory of the Heiltsuk Nation on the central coast of British Columbia is an archaeological obscurity, as no one can be sure of the actual time frame of intensive storage and sedimentation occurrences. On the Northwest Coast "salmon remains, the representation of cranial elements versus vertebrae, mass capture technology and storage structures are being debated as evidence for large-scale salmon storage" (Cannon and Yang, 2006). The use of this knowledge is to acquire sustainable information of when the sedentism and storage actually began.
Thesis
After investigating the work of Monks …show more content…
With this knowledge they believed that with such a high quantity of one species, it is rare that it would be consumed all at once. This alluding to the fact that they would need to store the fish to keep it fresh. Cannon and Yang (2006) also establish that with the type of fish that was found, it is ethnographically recorded as "preferable for storage because of their low fat content " (Cannon and Yang, 2006). In addition to stored salmon, herring in the spring is a good indication that the occupation of the Namu was year round. Although storage and settlement isn't necessary for hunter gatherers it does contribute to a better way of survival and is "widely linked to population growth, surplus production, and the development of social inequality" (Cannon and Yang, 2006). The consistency of their taxonomic profiles and the extractions noted from that time period, are all indicators and correlated to settlements, storage and, permanent habilitation of the Namu population, likely beginning at around 5000 cal …show more content…
Cannon and Yang's arguments are based largely on the amounts of salmon as a means of survival. The anthropologists state that " a variety of fish shellfish, mammal and bird species were harvested" but concluded with " salmon and herring [as] the main foci of the subsistence economy throughout the last 7000 years" (Cannon and Yang, 2006). Although basing most of their argument on salmon, they do make convincing points when providing other sources as a means of year round survival. After viewing data provided by Monk and Orchard on the amount of salmon escapement, remains and weight percentages of fish found at the Namu location, I initially questioned if that would be enough to sustain a small village, especially for yearlong usage. The top 15 streams of pink salmon consist of 85 percent of salmon escapement, this not including the Namu river (Cannon, 2011). Questioning the ability that pink salmon could even support a major fishery (Monks and Orchard, 2011). In terms of storage, Cannon and Yang provide convincing arguments with DNA evidence of an abundant amount of pink salmon vertebrae and facts on pink salmon being ethnographically perfect for storage because of the fat