Placemaking and cosmology in Tsimshian rock art

A close relationship with the land is an integral part of the worldview of Tsimshian people, whose territory is on the northern coast of North America. Key places were marked as pictographs and petroglyphs (rock art), many of which are recorded as specific events in Tsimshianic oral tradition. This project seeks to advance the understanding of these places and landscapes by developing more advanced methods of digital recording using 3D modelling from photogrammetry at rock art locations and Geographical Information System (GIS) for regional patterns. The result will be a richer understanding of these locations, landscapes, and histories. One of the most important outcomes of this project is that it will strengthen the relationships between Indigenous communities, the scientific community and the public by sharing our gained knowledge. Archaeology has a remarkable way of bringing people together.

Faculty Supervisor:

Andrew Martindale

Student:

Partner:

Durham University

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: