The Zooarchaeological Study of Sculpin (Cottidae) at an Ancient W̱SÁNEĆ Village Site

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dc.contributor.authorBartel-Ens, Skye
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-07T15:42:11Z
dc.date.available2025-05-07T15:42:11Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractZooarchaeology, the study of animal remains within an archaeological context, allows us to uncover the human-animal relationships that existed in the past. Studying these human-animal relationships includes investigating how animals interacted with humans in regard to subsistence, culture, and environment. This zooarchaeological study investigates how a subsample of fish excavated from ȾEL¸IȽĆE, an ancient W̱SÁNEĆ winter village site located in Cordova Bay, impacted people’s lives. Analysis of the study sample revealed an anomaly in the abundance of sculpin (Cottidae) at ȾEL¸IȽĆE, when compared with surrounding sites. This observation led to the following research questions: Why do we find so many sculpin remains at ȾEL¸IȽĆE? What methods were used to harvest sculpin? How were sculpins used? Through the analysis of W̱SÁNEĆ histories and Ethnographic studies, it has been found that sculpins were highly abundant in habitats around ȾEL¸IȽĆE, and that they were likely harvested using the hook and line fishing method. The high abundance of sculpin found in hearth features throughout the site suggests that they were used to supplement other food sources, such as salmon and herring. Going forward, this research can be used to advocate for W̱SÁNEĆ fishing rights, and provide empirical data to be used in future studies.
dc.description.reviewstatusReviewed
dc.description.scholarlevelUndergraduate
dc.description.sponsorshipJamie Cassels Undergraduate Research Awards (JCURA)
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/22170
dc.publisherUniversity Of Victoria
dc.subjectzooarchaeology
dc.subjectarchaeology
dc.subjectIndigenous
dc.subjectsculpin
dc.subjectancient fishing
dc.titleThe Zooarchaeological Study of Sculpin (Cottidae) at an Ancient W̱SÁNEĆ Village Site
dc.typePoster

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We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.