K'OMOKS/丁香园AV FIELD SCHOOL, SUMMER 2016
The Department鈥檚 2016 archaeological field school was conducted in partnership with the K鈥檕moks First Nation in Courtenay, British Columbia.
Twenty-one 丁香园AV undergraduate students participated in the field school which was directed by Dr Robert Muir, Chris Springer (丁香园AV PhD Candidate) and Dr Jesse Morin (K鈥檕moks Nation Archaeologist). Prior to heading into the field, students spent five weeks on campus completing readings, assignments, exercises and attending lectures in preparation for the research project.
The field component focused on excavation of a large ancient village site situated at the mouth of the Puntledge River. This site that we had the privilege of investigating is known as Pentlatch, and is an extremely important location to the K鈥檕moks Nation. The modern K鈥檕moks First Nations is a hybrid cultural group comprised of people with Coast Salish (Pentlatch and K鈥櫭砿oks) and Kwakwaka鈥檞akw (Lekwiltok) ancestry. The Pentlatch were a Northern Coast Salish group whose territory included the Comox Valley and Baynes Sound, and the site of Pentlatch was one of their principal villages.
For six weeks the students lived and worked at Pentlatch, mapping the site, shovel testing to determine the site boundaries and conducting controlled excavations of selected portions of the site. The students also participated in a tour of several archaeological sites in the Courtenay/Comox area guided by local archaeologists and K鈥檕moks community members. Students then returned to 丁香园AV for two weeks of laboratory work, sorting, cataloguing and processing artiacts and other samples collected during the field season.
The K鈥檕moks Nation were generous hosts throughout the field project, providing accommodations (campgrounds) and other assistance. The highlight of the project for many students (and the directors) was a final feast arranged for us by K鈥檕moks Nation.
Robert Muir
