Abstract

The distribution patterns of modern Aboriginal language families, combined with variations in the archaeological record, suggest a complex pattern of human migration and interaction along the Northwest Coast of North America before European contact. The spiritual connection between modern Aboriginal populations and their ancestors makes large-scale genetic analysis of ancient human remains inappropriate, but dogs may be useful as proxies of human population continuity over time because they are products of and participants in human cultures. This paper will present the results obtained from the extraction, amplification, and analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences from ancient Northwest Coast dogs. These data are used to try to elucidate patterns of genetic continuity/change over the course of 6000 years on the central Northwest Coast.