Abstract

For the most part, archaeological research on the Northwest Coast has concentrated on the excavation and interpretation of large village sites. While the focus on villages has yielded significant insights into resource distribution, we know very little about the locations where resources were obtained. Although it is likely that some resource procurement took place at villages, the abundance of small, non-village midden sites in Prince Rupert Harbour suggests that foods and raw materials were also obtained from resource procurement sites in the surrounding microenvironments. However, we have a very limited understanding of the structure, variation and distribution of procurement sites in Prince Rupert Harbour, and of their role in settlement, subsistence and social organisation. This paper presents preliminary results from archaeological investigations at three small midden sites in Prince Rupert, with an emphasis on site function and season of use. Initial results suggest some specialization of resource use and possibly year-round occupation of the harbour area.