New findings from recent research on jade artifacts discovered east of the Rocky Mountains provide insights into expansive Indigenous trade networks that once spanned pre-colonial Western Canada. Over a span of 3,000 years, craftsmen meticulously shaped nephrite jade into blades, chisels, and axe heads. Essential for central and coastal Salish communities in the Pacific Northwest, these tools, crafted from the durable stone in various colors like emerald green and black, were crucial for wood carving, a fundamental aspect of daily life. Some of these stone tools, originating from quarries in British Columbia, have been unearthed in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
A peer-reviewed study conducted by the Edmonton-based Archaeological Survey of Alberta, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, University of Saskatchewan, and Royal Saskatchewan Museum, delved into the significance of these tools known as stone celts in the Prairies. These artifacts, originally crafted in British Columbia, were traded to Dene and Cree communities east of the Rockies through extensive pre-contact trade routes that transcended cultural and linguistic barriers.
According to Todd Kristensen, the regional archaeologist at the Archaeological Survey of Alberta and the lead author of the study, the distribution of these artifacts signifies the formation of large social networks among Indigenous peoples in Western Canada. Rather than serving a functional purpose, the jade items became symbols of social alliances and networks as they traversed the Rockies around 1,000 years ago.
The study aimed to address long-standing questions in anthropology regarding the presence of nephrite east of the Rockies, a topic that had received minimal attention. By analyzing 24 nephrite celts discovered over the past 75 years, researchers confirmed their mineral composition and origin using various testing methods. The results indicated that each artifact originated from the Fraser River region in British Columbia and traveled an average distance of nearly 850 kilometers, with some covering almost 1,500 kilometers.
Proposing multiple possible trade routes, the study suggests interactions between Interior Salish artisans and neighboring Dene groups, leading to the transportation of celts eastward across the Rockies. Dene groups participating in trade fairs on the Fraser River might have acquired the celts and brought them back, while Salish groups trading in Alberta’s mountain river valleys could have directly interacted with western Dene communities.
The labor-intensive process of crafting a nephrite celt involved hours of grinding and polishing, with larger pieces requiring up to 500 hours of work. As the celts traveled further from their origin, they transitioned from functional tools to prestige items, akin to modern-day sentimental objects displayed for their symbolic value. This transformation highlights the importance of social relationships and networks in pre-contact Indigenous societies.
Kisha Supernant, director of the Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology at the University of Alberta, commended the researchers for engaging with Indigenous communities and emphasizing the human element in understanding the past. The study challenges the notion of isolated hunter-gatherer societies by showcasing the interconnectedness and long-distance interactions that characterized pre-contact Indigenous cultures in Western Canada. Kristensen underscored the involvement of citizen science in the study, with many artifacts discovered by farmers, emphasizing the importance of community collaboration in archaeological research. Future plans include integrating traditional oral histories from Indigenous communities to complement the study’s findings.
