Abstract

Faunal data from the site of Namu (ElSx-1), on the Central Coast of British Columbia are used to examine the sequence and cause of major transitions in the Northwest Coast economy. The Namu faunal data indicate intensive utilization of salmon and other vertebrate marine resources, the likelihood of semi-sedentary settlement, and the capacity for salmon storage at least 1,000 years before the significant utilization of shellfish begins. The implication is that population growth and a consequent shift to a broader range of marine resources was not due to any major shift in subsistence of settlement pattern. The onset of shell midden formation is associated with the increased production of salmon, which suggests that increased utilization and control of salmon was a necessary cause of population increase and social elaboration.