The exchange of ground nephrite celts across the Rocky Mountains

Summary

Non-local nephrite (jade) artifacts are reported from archaeological sites in northern and central Alberta and are derived from nephrite tool producing areas in southwest British Columbia. This is evidence of trade extending more than 800 km distant across the Rocky Mountain divide. We provide results from a variety of non-destructive techniques (portable X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and near-infrared spectrometry) to determine the geochemistry and mineralogy of nephrite ground stone celts found in Alberta, and to associate those individual artifacts with documented celt-producing areas in British Columbia. The accurate identification of nephrite can reveal significant cultural relationships that involved long distance exchange of raw materials between occupants of Alberta and British Columbia. The rarity of nephrite celts in Alberta and comparison of their morphology with those from British Columbia suggests that nephrite celts were primarily prestige-related tools in Alberta.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 14493