Article content continued

The excavation site is about two kilometres upstream of the Fraser River confluence next to the current Bridge River village. Band chief Susan James says her people — 457 members, about half of them living on reserve — had a general knowledge of their ancestors but not to the level of detail unveiled by archaeologists. “We’ve found it fascinating, it’s all been learning for us,” she said. Band tours of the site are available to the public.

Prentiss explained that Pithouse 54 was excavated over four seasons. Her book, The Last House at Bridge River, is about to be published.

“We realized this house had something special, an extraordinary record,” she said.

The dig found 157 dog bones on various floors, several featuring cut marks from defleshing. Although the Bridge River dog is related to Siberian dogs, it was considered its own unique breed. The thinking is that younger dogs up to 2.5 years old risked being eaten. Older dogs were typically kept as family pets and for work, including for transport and as a warning system for the village.

Dogs were also thought to be a delicacy at Bridge River, said Prentiss, who obtained her doctoral degree from Simon Fraser University. “When (explorer) Simon Fraser visited the Lillooet people (1808) he was served a feast of dog meat. That kind of says it all right there.”

The pithouse was not occupied consecutively for 1,500 years. It was abandoned three times, including about 1,000 years ago. A decline in salmon bones suggest fewer fish migrating through the Fraser Canyon during an era known as the Medieval Warm Period.