Milliken is an Archaic Northwest Coast site on the Fraser river, in British Columbia, contemporary with Glenrose Cannery.
Archaeologists believe that Milliken was a major fishing spot on the Fraser river, during the Modern period and later historic times, the place was an important Native American fishery. However, no fish bones or other organic remains have been recovered in the Milliken site deposits, probably because of the acidic soils of these earlier layers.
However, archaeologists propose that the Milliken site was occupied as early as 9000 BP. Environmental studies have shown how at that date salt water would have been closer to the Fraser river and, therefore, the inhabitants of Milliken could have exploited a rich salmon zone.
Many decorated objects come from the Fraser river canyon area. At Milliken, archaeologists have recovered a spindle whorl decorated with eyes and serpents on the two sides. It has been suggested that this object was a shamanic device, since when spinning, the eyes or snakes would seem to whirl around the spindle hole, inducing a trance effect. However, many Northwest Coast populations used to decorate weaving implements. Unfortunately, this piece was recovered from a collapsed wall, therefore it was not possible to determine its age.
Sources
This glossary entry is a part of the About.com guide to Northwest Coast, and the Dictionary of Archaeology.
Ames Kenneth M. and Herbert D.G. Maschner, 1999, Peoples of the Northwest Coast. Their Archaeology and Prehistory, Thames and Hudson, London
Carlson, Roy L., 1998, Coastal British Columbia in the Light of North Pacific Maritime Adaptations, Arctic Anthropology, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 23-35