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SXWŌXWIYÁM | Our Elders tell us that sxwōxwiyám is the time and the stories from long ago when the world was not quite right. It was a time when animals and people could talk to each other and could transform from one to the other. Through sxwōxwiyám we are all connected.
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Wet Site

A wet site is an archaeological site under water. The Qithyil wet site lies along the shore of the Harrison River beside the ancient village site. During the spring, when the river is high, the rushing water washes away chunks of the muddy bank. It reveals the old belongings from the village. We rescued as many of these belongings as possible—before the river could wash them away forever.

Underwater sites preserve tools made from wood, roots, and other organic plant parts. At Qithyil, these include pieces of baskets, rope and string, fish hooks, and a wooden knife handle. These belongings date between 750 and 1200 years old. They would have been used in the daily lives of our ancestors.

Two people stand on the shoreline and are looking out towards the river. A third person is bent over and looking at the ground.

Scanning the shores of the Harrison River for organic remains, 1992-93

A fragmented basket woven from bark strips. Parts of the rim and body of the basket are still preserved.

Utility basket from the Qithyil wetsite

Three people are walking along a riverbank. They look at the ground as they try to find ancient basketry remains.

Searching for wet site remains, 1992-93

A group of people stand on the shoreline; a small motorboat has been pulled up onto the beach.

Waiting to cross to Qithyil

Wet site excavation units at Qithyil, 1992-3

On the shoreline, a group of people have a conversation while they stand by the back of a blue truck.

Heather Pratt, Grant Keddie, Kitty Bernick, Joyce Johnson, Doug Brown, Vicki Feddema, 1992-3

A group of people watch as one person excavates a section of earth on the riverbank.

Wet site excavation at Qithyil, 1992-93

Someone holds a hose as it sprays water over a screen of sediment to remove dirt.

Water screening wet site remains, 1992-3

Two archaeologists stand at the edge of an excavation area by the riverbank. They are both taking notes.

Joyce Johnson excavating and Ann Stevenson notetaking

A group of people wearing raingear work in an archaeological area.

Wet site excavations, Doug Brown front right, 1992-3

Wet site excavations guided by Kitty Bernick (front left), 1992-3

Two people stand on the riverbank. One holds a hose that is spraying a large stream of water into the air towards the river.

Doug Brown (front) and Heather Pratt at Qithyil wetsite excavations

Three people stand around a screen by the riverbank. One of them is holding a hose over the screen to wash away dirt.

Water screening wet site remains, 1992-3

A fragmented basket woven from bark strips. Parts of the rim, body, and handle of the basket are still preserved.

Utility basket from the Qithyil wetsite

A black and white photograph of pieces of basketry in a muddy archaeological area.

Basketry in situ in the muddy shore at Qithyil, 1992-93

A black and white photograph of a woman in an archaeological area. She is spraying ancient basketry remains with water to expose them.

Kitty Bernick recovering organic remains, 1992-93

A black and white photograph shows an ancient stone knife with a wooden handle in the archaeological area it was found.

Kw'ets'el, fish knife found in the Qithyil wet site

A black and white photograph shows someone holding an ancient stone knife with a wooden handle in the palm of their hand.

Kw'ets'el, fish knife found in the Qithyil wet site

A black and white photograph shows an ancient slate knife with a wooden handle in the riverbank where it was found.

Kw'ets'el, fish knife, in situ in the wet site

A black and white photograph shows the shoreline when the river’s waters are low.

Qithyil shoreline at low water, 1992-93

The baskets, made from red cedar, are made in different styles. We found parts of the handles, rims, and pieces of baskets. The baskets may have been “utility” baskets for carrying things—like we use shopping bags today. Utility baskets were used to carry fish and gather many other foods.

The most exciting find was a kw’éts’tel fish knife. This knife blade is made of a thin stone called slate. It was sharpened using a sandstone abrader or grinding stone. The yew wood handle was glued onto the stone blade using pine pitch. Another artifact found was a fish hook with its tip broken off made of white pine wood. Our ancestors would have fished right at this site. Salmon swim upriver, resting near the shore. Once caught, the kw’éts’tel was used to cut and clean the fish for cooking or smoking for the winter.

Utility basket from the Qithyil wetsite

Kw'ets'el, fish knife, in situ in the wet site

An ancient stone knife in its wooden handle is held in someone’s hand.

Kw'ets'el, ground slate fish filleting knife

Archaeology