P200 Introduction to Prehistoric Archaeology
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Site B: B'eesh Bol Site
A long, low sandy ridge with a shingle of broken sea shells marks the position of a high sea shore, during an ancient stage in the growth of the river delta. (View sketch of site B) At a point along this ridge is an area where erosion is exposing a low mound (6 feet high, 50 yards/meters in diameter), which consisted of a dense midden of clam shells, charcoal and some artifacts.
Excavations at the B'eesh Bol site provided charcoal samples which were dated by the C-14 method to 10,900 + 300 bp (years before present).
Artifacts found in the midden included: a few microlithic arrow barbs, many stone sinkers for fishing nets, many small stone drills and lots of drilled shell beads, both finished and unfinished.
The clam shells sampled had seasonal growth rings (like tree rings) showing that almost all of the clams died during the warm season (wide rings). In addition to the shells, the following kinds of food remains were recovered: abundant bones of small fish and a few large fish bones, bones of summer migrant ducks, a few bones of red deer, and lots of rabbit bones, including the remains of many young rabbits, available during the early summer.
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Last updated: 10
March, 1999 |
