Lara McFadden-Baltutis

University of Toronto, Archaeology, Graduate Student

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Experienced field archaeologist, zooarchaeologist, laboratory technician, and researcher. Currently working with Parks Canada as an archaeologist/historical researcher at the ancestral Haida village and UNESCO World Heritage Site SG̱ang Gwaay Llnagaay.

Guaranteed to boost morale- I always carry gum (a little piece of happy), and am a walking jukebox singing an array of songs out of tune... because sometimes you eat the bar- and sometimes the bar eats you.

I completed my Masters of Science at the University of Toronto in 2015.
I specialize in zooarchaeology, but am also interested in landscape theory, indigenous ways of knowing, and eco-cultural systems through time.

I attempt to strike a balance between academic pursuits and working in cultural resource management. I thrive in the outdoors, and love that CRM offers me the chance to explore British Columbia's beautiful wilderness, and provides an opportunity to work alongside First Nation communities.

Sharing my experiences and love for the discipline is an important part of being an archaeologist. I enjoy creating and delivering presentations about archaeology to the public, especially to kids! It is our responsibility to pass on knowledge, and make learning about the past accessible to all. Protecting cultural heritage is everyone's responsibility!
Supervisors: Dr. Gary Coupland
Address: British Columbia

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Conference Presentations by Lara McFadden-Baltutis

Feasting the Dead: A Preliminary Review of A Mortuary Faunal Assemblage from Sechelt British Columbia

Recent excavations at an ancient burial ground, DjRw-14 on the south coast of British Columbia, d... more Recent excavations at an ancient burial ground, DjRw-14 on the south coast of British Columbia, dated 4000-3500 cal. BP, have yielded an unusual faunal assemblage with a high frequency of deer remains and relatively low frequencies of marine fauna. With little or no evidence of habitation at the site during the period in question, it appears likely that the high proportion of deer is related to mortuary ritual that involved consumption of deer meat. Through analysis of the deer remains, I will examine the ways in which deer were transported, processed, and consumed on site. This assemblage provides a rare opportunity to investigate feasting behavior associated with mortuary ritual.

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Feasting with Deer: Food for the Living, an Offering to the Dead. A Preliminary Analysis of Faunal Remains from an Ancient Coastal shíshálh Burial Ground

On the south coast of British Columbia an ancient shíshálh burial ground contains the remains of ... more On the south coast of British Columbia an ancient shíshálh burial ground contains the remains of richly decorated individuals dated to 3500-4000 B.P. In addition to other grave offerings, burials contain stone and shell beads ranging in numbers from hundreds to hundreds of thousands. Associated with these highly decorated burials is a faunal assemblage characterized by a low frequency of marine fauna and a high proportion of deer bone, which is atypical of Northwest Coast shell midden deposits. Analyses of food preparation techniques, consumption patterns, and differences in body part representation and relative abundance of taxa, are used to assess the role of deer in mortuary activities. The results of this study are critical to better understanding the role of food in shíshálh mortuary practices, and offer the opportunity to define human and animal interactions within a mortuary context, and provide insight into the development of material based inequality on the south coast of British Columbia.

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Other by Lara McFadden-Baltutis

What Remains Behind: A Zooarchaeological Assemblage from an Ancient shíshálh Burial Ground

On the south coast of British Columbia in shíshálh traditional territory, an ancient burial groun... more On the south coast of British Columbia in shíshálh traditional territory, an ancient burial ground (DjRw-14) contains the remains of richly decorated individuals dated to the Charles culture (4000-3500 B.P.). In addition to other grave offerings, the burials contain stone and shell beads ranging in numbers from hundreds to hundreds of thousands. Associated with these highly decorated burials is a faunal assemblage characterized by a low frequency of marine fauna and a high proportion of land mammal, particularly black-tailed deer. These proportions of animals are considered a-typical of Northwest Coast shell midden deposits and may represent specific mortuary or ritual activities associated with honoring the deceased. With an emphasis on deer remains, a zooarchaeological analysis assesses the possible role of animal remains in mortuary activities. In order to establish if the faunal assemblage from DjRw-14 is indeed unique, with its high frequency of deer remains and low numbers of marine fauna, the site assemblage is considered in comparison to other sites in the Gulf of Georgia with similar cultural components. Ethnographic and archaeological evidence of Coast Salish mortuary practices and beliefs are examined to better understand the ritual acts that took place at DjRw-14. The site ceases to be used as a burial ground with the termination of the Charles Culture, but patterns in fauna remain stable, attesting to the persistence of mortuary traditions. The social and political implications of continuing these traditions are considered in terms of creating and maintaining a social memory and an attachment to an ancestral landscape. The results of this study are critical to better understanding foodways and ritual expression in shíshálh funerary practice. The context in which we find animal remains offers the opportunity to explore expressions of mortuary customs and beliefs within the Salish landscape.

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Feasting the Dead: A Preliminary Review of A Mortuary Faunal Assemblage from Sechelt British Columbia

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Feasting with Deer: Food for the Living, an Offering to the Dead. A Preliminary Analysis of Faunal Remains from an Ancient Coastal shíshálh Burial Ground

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What Remains Behind: A Zooarchaeological Assemblage from an Ancient shíshálh Burial Ground

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Lara McFadden-Baltutis

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