Spirit and Ancestor: A Century of Northwest Coast Indian Art at the Burke Museum (Monograph / Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum)

Arts & Photography

Bill Holm

History & Criticism

Burke Museum

A Time of gathering: Native heritage in Washington State (Monograph / Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum)

History

WRIGHT, Robin (editor)

World

The Burton Acres Shell Midden site is located on Vashon Island in Puget Sound, at an advantageous spot for fishing and shellfishing. Although it had been the focus of preservation efforts, little was known about the contents of the site until a winter storm in 1995 caused severe erosion. In response, a collaborative effort between the Burke Museum, University of Washington, King County Landmarks and Heritage Commission, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Vashon Park District, and McMurray Middle School resulted in a unique two-week public project involving 375 volunteers. Members of the public were invited to share in the discovery process, following archaeological protocol from excavation to artifact cataloging. This book continues that discovery process, presenting and explaining the data gleaned from the site and offering interpretations based on the various objects found that speak to people’s lives at this place. Multiple perspectives on the history of Burton Acres Shell Midden express the collaborative nature of the project, with contributions by Puyallup tribal member Judy Wright, cultural anthropologist Llyn De Danaan, and several archaeologists including a summary by Julie Stein. Vashon Island Archaeology describes the step-by-step guidelines developed for this public investigation, useful for other archaeologists involved in similar projects. It also provides insight into the careful and extensive planning required for such an endeavor. Finally, it demonstrates that a community that participates in the discovery of their local history gains a broad understanding of the importance of stewardship, preservation, and interpretation of cultural resources.

Vashon Island Archaeology: A View from Burton Acres Shell Midden (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture Research Report)

Science & Math

Prehistoric houses on the Northwest Coast were built from wood, often within piles of discarded shells, leaving little archaeological evidence from which to confirm their presence. Is It a House? uses multiple lines of evidence to investigate whether the U-shaped depression surrounded by shells at the English Camp site on San Juan Island was originally a house constructed by native peoples. Each chapter addresses a different kind of evidence, including artifacts, sediment, faunal remains, and stratigraphy. The quantitative and qualitative analyses used to examine the evidence reveal new directions and insights for identifying houses in similar contexts. The editors introduce the research in the context of current and past Gulf of Georgia (Coast Salish) archaeology, and end by synthesizing the research evidence.

Is It a House?: Archaeological Excavations at English Camp, San Juan Island, Washington (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture Research Report)

Americas

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Books by Burke Museum