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Pushing Limits and Finding Interpretive Balance: A Reply to Monks and Orchard

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Aubrey Cannon  and
Dongya Y. Yang
Aubrey Cannon
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8S 4L9cannona@mcmaster.ca
Dongya Y. Yang
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5A 1S6donyang@sfu.ca
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Abstract

We reiterate the basis for our interpretation of the Namu site as a winter-village settlement from at least 7000 B.P., and note that Monks and Orchard do not provide an alternative interpretation of the available data. They also mistakenly suggest an assertion on our part that all Northwest Coast villages were dependent on a salmon-based storage economy by 1000 B.P. We never argued for this point. Finally, Monks and Orchard offer a lengthy defense of methods for seasonality estimation, which we support. We used those same methods, and continue to support their refinement and application toward understanding the nature of seasonal activity at Namu.

Resumen

Resumen

Reiteramos nuestra interpretación de base del sitio arqueológico de Namu como un asentamiento de aldea de invierno, establecido desde hace por lo menos 7000 años B.P. y observamos que Monks y Orchard no proporcionan una interpretación diferente con base en los datos disponibles. De lo contrario, usan información seleccionada y poco representativa para crear una reconstrucción de la historia de asentamiento y de subsistencia del sitio arqueológico sin fundamento. También interpretan equívocamente una cita para insinuar que nosotros afirmamos que todas las aldeas de la Costa Noroeste dependían de una economía basada en el almacenamiento de salmón antes del año 1000 B.P. Nunca hemos argumentado dicho punto. Por último, Monks y Orchard defienden extensivamente sus metodologias sobre la estimación de la estacionalidad, las cuales apoyamos ya que nosotros también utilizamos esos mismos métodos y seguimos apoyando su mejora y aplicación hacia la comprensión de la naturaleza de la actividad de temporada en Namu.

Type
Comments
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 76 , Issue 3 , July 2011 , pp. 585 - 595
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 2011

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