Abstract

The Charlie Lake Cave Site, radio-carbon dated to between 10,700±120 B.R and 1400±400 B.R, is the oldest known, well-dated habitation site in the northern interior of British Columbia. Excavations undertaken at the site in the 1980s and 1990s by Dr. Knut Fladmark and Dr. Jon Driver of Simon Fraser University, recovered extensive samples of well preserved faunal material, including bones of mammals, reptiles, birds and fish. The mammalian, reptilian and avian remains are reported elsewhere. This paper discusses the fish remains recovered from Stratigraphic Zones IIa through IV. 1,235 specimens of the 2,157 fish bones recovered in the 1983 excavations were examined. Of these, 770 specimens were identified to species, genus or family. Fully 98.5% of the identified elements are from a single genus, Catostomus. Cultural, depositional and biological variables are considered as explanations for the strikingly singular nature of this fauna over 10,000 years.