Housepit 54: Dogs and their Changing Roles

Summary

Excavations at the Bridge River site, British Colombia have been on going since 2003. The careful study of these housepits have significantly increased our understanding of the communities that inhabited the Middle Fraser Canyon over 1,000 years ago. The completion of the Housepit 54 excavation has provided further evidence of the many facets of indigenous life at Bridge River; among these is the role of dogs. The possession and many uses of dogs in the Middle Fraser Canyon is well documented through excavations, traditional knowledge, and ethnographic accounts. Domesticated dog remains in Bridge River households have been interpreted as markers of inter-household wealth and status. The current study is aimed at better understanding the role dogs played in the many occupations of Housepit 54. A close analysis of all skeletal remains of canines recovered from Housepit 54 is undertaken with a focus on taphonomic processes; coprolites, dog aDNA, and stable isotope data will also be assessed. We then consider potential interpretations of human behavior regarding dogs.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Complex Fisher-Foragers of the Interior Pacific Northwest: The Housepit 54 Project at Bridge River, British Columbia

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16558