Inferring Continuity and Growth from Household Expansion at the Xwisten Bridge River Site in British Columbia

Summary

The processes that drive socioeconomic and demographic growth over the course of generational occupations can be better understood by examining the variation in spatial organization at the household level. This study draws from the ethnographic record, ethnoarchaeological studies, and household archaeology to compare features from Housepit 54 at the Xwisten village, or Bridge River site in the interior of British Columbia. This site has been previously classified as a winter village and contains over 80 s7ístken, or semi-subterranean pithouses. Housepit 54 was excavated between 2012 and 2016 and contains a sequence of 17 intact anthropogenic floors. Past research implies that changes in quantity and types of features associated with storage activities indicate varying strategies. When combined with lithic data related to hunting activities during times of ecological stress, I suggest that over the course of generational occupations, residents of Housepit 54 engaged in community feasting or other activities in order to increase the social standing of the household within the village.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21105