Analysis of spatial patterns at a prehistoric settlement in the lower Fraser Canyon, B. C.
Date
1980
Authors
Archer, David J. W.
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Abstract
In 1975 and 1976 archaeological salvage excavations were carried out at the Silverhope Creek site, a small prehistoric settlement in the lower Fraser Canyon, British Columbia. The excavations yielded a large assemblage of lithic artifacts and other cultural materials, dating to the Skamel Phase in the lower canyon sequence. These remains provide the basis for an investigation of spatial patterning within the site. The two objectives of the study are to identify and describe the spatial arrangement of activities at the site, and to test the applicability of the ring model formulated by Yellen (1977).
The data categories included in the analysis are tools and ornamental items, manufacturing waste, calcined faunal remains, fire-cracked rock, and cultural features. The tools and ornamental items, which are the major focus, have been organized into functional groups on the basis of use-wear analysis and ethnographic analogy.
The spatial analysis begins with a test for randomness in the data. Observed distributions for various classes of remains are compared to a theoretically random or Poisson distribution, and most are found to display a pattern which is significantly different from random. The second part of the analysis involves visual assessment of four density iii maps representing the major categories of data from the site. The observed arrangement corresponds in part to the Yellen ring model. The principal activity zones within the study area are identified by means of an average linkage clustering of the excavation units. As predicted by the model, the various individual assemblages are classified into two groups and their spatial disposition coincides with the density zones. A percentage frequency graph is constructed to determine which particular classes are responsible for the observed pattern. In agreement with the model the "inner" high density zone is characterized by relative abundance of fine manufacturing and food processing implements and the "outer" l ow density zone by a range of heavy duty implements.
Although the data tend to support the Yellen ring model the size of the sample from the low density areas of the site is not sufficient for an unqualified acceptance.