Thirteen thousand years of human interactions on the California Islands.

An interdisciplinary approach with collaborations between archaeologists and specialists in biology, geology, geography, genetics, and history provides us with a wealth of information on human interactions with their environment for thousands of years on the California Islands. California Indians that lived on the islands relied on nonagricultural resources, primarily marine and, to a lesser extent, land-based resources. Most of this paper focuses on the Santa Barbara Channel Islands, but significant examples from other California Islands are included. Oral tradition suggests that California Indians were always on the land in California, but the earliest definitive evidence for human occupation is from Wi’ma (Santa Rosa Island), where an individual dating to about 13,000 years ago was found. Recent investigations suggest that people may have been on the Tuqan (San Miguel Island) as much as 18,000 years ago. If valid, these are some of the earliest dates in the Americas for human occupation. This lengthy occupation of the California Islands and the prolific publications on the intersection of archaeology, historical ecology, and climate provide the basis for understanding how people adapted to a dynamic and shifting environment—one replete with floods, warm and cool sea surface temperatures, extended droughts, and other events. Examples are presented that shed light on past adaptations but also the future impacts that the California Islands may encounter. Red abalone layers found in archaeological sites on the Northern Channel Islands between ~8200 and 3500 cal BP are discussed in light of their ecological and cultural significance. This paper also addresses the introduction of animals to the islands, such as foxes and dogs, and their use, along with the role that Indigenous peoples played. Land management and uses of many plants, including geophytes, are synthesized within an archaeological context. Controlled burns, traditionally practiced by California Indians, are also considered. The production of beads and other artifacts, along with the use of watercraft, is another important topic that is addressed. Decades of interdisciplinary research on these islands has been integral to understanding the California Indian cultural complexity that encompasses moundbuilding, complex exchange systems, the use of money, and ecologically sound subsistence practices. The relative preservation of stratigraphy and surface features on many California Islands, especially those that lack gophers, has allowed archaeologists and other scholars insights that would otherwise not be available. Data from the California Islands help us address some of today’s challenges, including climate change (typified by extreme droughts, warm sea surface temperatures, and El Niño cycles), cultural resilience, and other significant issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]