The Rise and Fall of Complex Large Villages on the British Columbian Plateau: A Geoarchaeological Controversy.

In a series of publications, Prentiss et al. (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008) have argued for a very late, abrupt, and brief emergence of large villages and large corporate residences in the mid-Fraser region of British Columbia (~1600-800 cal B.P.) and an even later abrupt emergence of socioeconomic complexity (~1200-800 cal B.P.). They postulate that climatic changes were responsible for both of these events as well as the collapse of the large villages. We question their interpretations on several grounds including: inappropriate methods for dating these developments; data from Keatley Creek indicating a longer developmental trajectory; incomplete interpretation of paleoclimate trends for the region; and internal contradictions in their own climate-driven explanations for changes. The combined evidence of geochronology and paleoecology (some not previously considered) together with archaeological evidence favors an interpretation of earlier emergence of large villages and socioeconomic complexity than suggested by Prentiss et al. (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]