Abstract

Through the combined use of ethnographic information and archaeological data it has been possible to reconstruct the behavioral patterns related to the formation of prehistoric fishing sites on the Upper Stikine River. In the yearly round of seasonal activities traditionally engaged in by the Tahltan people, Summer fishing villages located along major salmon producing streams were occupied for longer periods of time, by larger groups of people, than other seasonally occupied sites. The intensity and range of activities carried out at these sites render them more visible in terms of archaeological remains. A thorough understanding of the behavioural processes involved in the formation of these sites is considered essential for interpreting their significance within the overall pattern of subsistence strategies and reconstructing cultural history in this area.