A Multi-Method Approach to Prospecting Stranded Paleo-Coastal Sites on Quadra Island, BC

Summary

Despite increasing support for the first peopling of North America via a coastal route, only a limited number of postglacial (Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene) archaeological sites have been identified on the Northwest Coast. This research aims to identify high potential locations for evidence of the Early Period archaeological record (pre-10,000 cal BP) on Quadra Island, BC. Quadra Island has experienced dramatic sea level regression over the past 14,000 years following the Last Glacial Maximum. These (now inland) paleo-shorelines represent key areas for archaeological prospecting. Through a multi-method approach using sea level history, LIDAR and GIS modeling techniques, prospection for stranded paleo-coastal sites can be greatly improved. LIDAR and GIS modeling are up-and-coming technologies in Northwest Coast archaeology. Using the local sea level history with LIDAR allows detailed "bare-earth" visualizations to be created and reveals hidden archaeological and paleo-coastal features. These features, such as inland paleo-shorelines, can be remotely targeted from beneath the rainforest canopy for archaeological foot survey. Through integration of these technologies into a multi-method prospection approach, time and effort during fieldwork can be maximized, and archaeological site identification can be increased.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Archaeology of Stranded, Intertidal, and Submerged Shorelines on the Northwest Coast of North America

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15138