22nd Annual Tyee Tour 2008 Photo Page 3

On our way home Duncan and I had a unique opportunity to examine several old "Culturally Modified Trees" (CMT) in an area near Kelsey Bay. Planks and bark were harvested from these trees by early First Nations people for building materials.

The tool marks in the trees indicate stone or bone tools were used, dating these events prior to 1846 (the introduction of Iron tools). A notch was cut in the tree above the ground and using a ladder device a second notch was cut higher in the tree 30 - 40 feet above the ground. Bone or antler tools would then be used to split away planks. These cedar trees were probably about 250 years old at the time of modification and appear to have survived well.

Stone or bone tool marks seen here indicate pre 1846 introduction of Iron tools.