Location of the Indian tribes at first white contact in Alberta, Canada
Abstract
Archaeological evidence for the location of the Indian tribes in Alberta at the time of first White contact is almost totally lacking. An intensive review of the known literature, directed toward a discovery of promising areas for archaeological work which might produce evidence of the supposed locations , is the aim of this paper. The significance to archaeology of the records left by the first Whites in Alberta from 1690 to 1812 is discussed. Sir Alexander Mackenzie 's map of 1801, also his map published in Daniel Harmon's Journal in 1820, and those of Peter Pond of 1785 and 1787 have been studied, but the map of David Thompson made for the North- West Company in 1813 and 1814 forms the primary support for the whole thesis. The names used at the end of the eighteenth century and beginning of the nineteenth century for the physical features of Alberta have been checked against the accounts of Mackenzie, Thompson, and the other White men who came here before them or at the same time. The location of the Indian tribes of Alberta on first contact is outlined according to the records of Sir Alexander Mackenzie for the northern area and of David Thompson and Alexander Henry the Younger for the southern area. Some traditions described by them of different locations of the Indian tribes before White contact during protohistoric time have been listed . Ethnographical data regarding the tribes during historic times are outlined. Small differences in material cultures which might provide clues to identity of the people using items at particular sites during particular periods are noted. It seems probable that certain selected locations will provide archaeological evidence for particular tribes. At least one location for each of the Indian tribes thought to be in Alberta during protohistoric and early historic times has been ascertained. These locations are shown on a base map of Alberta, with magnifications for each from the four-miles-to -the-inch map of the Canadian Department of Mines and Technical Surveys Mapping Branch. Archaeological support may come to light when time, money and interest permit their investigation .
Description
Bibliography: p. 92-97.
Keywords
Citation
Skeels, L. L. (1968). Location of the Indian tribes at first white contact in Alberta, Canada (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/13481