ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to translate the variability arising from different Athapaskan local group developmental processes into a set of archaeological correlates. One course of action at this juncture would be to re-examine the hypotheses used to test the fur trade era propositions about local group composition, size, marriage patterns, exogamy, and intergroup hostility. Without exception, all of the Athapaskans of the interior experienced scarcities and abundances of resources created through environmental dynamics. For instance, significant parts of the cordilleran region lacked high densities of large game. The diet described by Black during his sojourn with the Finlay River Sekani in 1824 was dominated by roots, a few trout and marmot. Michael Krauss, who possesses an unsur-passed knowledge of both Athapaskan and Eyak languages, has made his own reconstruction of the proto-Athapaskan and Eyak kin term system. Krauss’ reconstruction in many ways confirms that of Dyen and Aberle.
