Perspectives on Ochre Provenance in British Columbia, Canada

Summary

Elemental characterization of ochre sources and artifacts from southern and central British Columbia has demonstrated the potential for, and the limitations of, ochre provenance studies in this region. Using a combination of neutron activation analysis (NAA) and x-ray fluorescence (XRF), comparative elemental analyses of ochre artifacts from archaeological sites and five geologic sources identified evidence of variability in ochre acquisition over space and time. While the majority of ochre being used by hunter-gatherers was sourced locally, a small percentage was exotic, being traded or transported over longer-distances. Results from this study illustrate the importance of scale for both the analysis and interpretation of geochemical data obtained from ochre. These results also provide insight into the nature and intensity of short- and long-distance trade networks of ochre in British Columbia.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Towards a Global Understanding of Ochre Use: Methods, Definitions, and Applications

Keywords

Spatial Coverage