Rockshelter use during the “Late Woodland” Period in the Northeast: Increased use as an Aspect of the Pelt Trade

Abstract

A recent series of papers ( North American Archaeologist, 2010:255-479) relating to the archaeology of rockshelters assembled an important array of information that illustrates the importance of these locations to understanding the culture history of the greater Northeastern Woodlands region. Paul Raber's contribution specifically addressed the apparent increase in the use of these geological features during the Late Woodland period in Pennsylvania, about 900 to 1650 CE. In Ohio the “Late Woodland” period may be differently defined and assigned completely different dates. Raber suggests that rockshelters became important to aspects of foraging strategies that supplemented the horticultural systems of the village dwelling cultures in central and western Pennsylvania, particularly during the Little Ice Age. I suggest that after 1500 CE rockshelters became important in the temporary storage of peltry, the basis for a vast trading system. The European demand for peltry had rapidly changed traditional trading dynamics among Native Americans, leading to a focus on gaining European goods. The volume and perishable nature of peltry made dry storage an essential part of collecting and trade networks.