Abstract
Fort Selkirk, Yukon, was a site of contact between Northern Tutchone people and Hudson’s Bay Company fur traders in the mid-nineteenth century. During archaeological excavations in 2006, this article’s author recovered a unique moose (Alces alces) scapula, which provides evidence of early contact period Northern Tutchone hunting techniques and scapulimancy. A zoomorphic etching on the surface of the scapula depicts a large male ungulate, probably a moose, along with an arrow in flight by its head. To understand the context and significance of this artifact, the author interviewed Selkirk First Nation (Northern Tutchone) Elder Mr. Roger Alfred. He focused his responses on the scapula’s construction, its use, and the etching’s significance. By using a holistic approach that combines ethnohistorical information, and an oral ethnoarchaeology interview, this article offers insight into the cultural practices that Indigenous hunters use to call and locate moose in the North American subarctic. The Fort Selkirk scapula is a unique tangible example.
