Evolution of a Late Prehistoric Winter Village on the Interior Plateau of British Columbia: Geophysical Investigations, Radiocarbon Dating, and Spatial Analysis of the Bridge River Site

Abstract

A common issue for archaeologists who study intermediate-scale societies is defining scale and complexity of occupations across entire villages or towns. This can be a major problem since an understanding of site-wide inter-household occupation patterns can be crucial for accurate reconstruction of village demographics and socio-economic organization. In this paper we present new research at the Bridge River site, a large complex hunter-gatherer village in British Columbia, designed to develop a site-wide history of household occupation patterns. We accomplish this through broad-scale geophysical investigations, test excavations and an extensive program of radiocarbon dating. Results of the study suggest that the village grew rapidly between ca. 1800 and 1250 cal. B.P. expanding from 7 to at least 29 simultaneously occupied houses. Variability in household spacing and size indicate that social organization may have grown increasingly complex parallel with rising numbers of households.

Defensibility of large prehistoric sites in the Mid-Fraser region on the Canadian Plateau

“…Although there are debates concerning the founding and occupation sequence of these large village sites, they were definitely aggregated and concentrated by ca. 1600-1000 B.P, and perhaps earlier (Hayden, 2005;Kuijt and Prentiss, 2004;Lenert, 2001;Morin et al, 2008;Prentiss et al, 2003Prentiss et al, , 2005Prentiss et al, , 2007Prentiss et al, , 2008. However, the Mid-Fraser region was largely depopulated associated with decline of large village sites after ca.…”

“…It is well recognized that the richness of the salmon fishery of the Fraser River, particularly Six Mile/Fountain fishery, made it possible to establish these large village sites (Hayden, 1997;Prentiss et al, 2008;Stryd and Hills, 1972). This region has been the focus of several archaeological surveys and research projects to examine the evolution of complex hunter-gatherer societies by investigating the development and decline of large aggregated village sites (Hayden, 1997(Hayden, , 2000aPrentiss and Kuijt, 2004;Prentiss et al, 2008;Stryd, 1973;Stryd and Lawhead, 1978). This body of research has developed a detailed culture history, and allows us to explore defensibility in relation to the occupation history, and demographic dynamics in the region.…”

“…1200-1000 B.P. (Hayden and Ryder, 1991;Kuijt and Prentiss, 2004;Morin et al, 2008;Prentiss et al, 2007Prentiss et al, , 2008Rousseau, 2004). All evidence suggests that populations from 800 B.P.…”

“…All evidence suggests that populations from 800 B.P. to contact were but a fraction of their zenith during the major occupation phase of sites such as Keatley Creek, Bell, and Bridge River (Hayden, 2000a,b;Morin et al, 2008;Prentiss et al, 2008).…”

“…In the Mid-Fraser region, particularly The Fountain locality (this refers to sites and landforms surrounding both the Fountain fishery on the Fraser River, and the Fountain Reserve at the head of the Fountain Valley), there are several large well-documented prehistoric village sites, such as Bell, Keatley Creek, and Bridge River (Hayden, 2000c,d;Prentiss et al, 2008;Stryd, 1973). In the case of Bell and Keatley Creek, researchers have already suggested that they are situated on defensible locations (Hayden, 2000a: 12;Stryd and Hills, 1972: 207).…”