Surviving on the Island: Chapter 17

Barbed projectile point. Found on San Nicolas Island in a cache of artifacts. Courtesy of Department of Anthropology, California State University, Los Angeles.

Karana spends time during the long winter months making a barbed spearhead from a sea elephant tooth. She will use this weapon to catch devilfish. Karana paddles her canoe to the reef where the devilfish live but does not spear one.

Karana takes the canoe and stores it in the sea cave that she and Rontu found near the headland. When she returns from the sea cave, Karana hears sounds of a dogfight. She sees the pack on a mound of discarded seashells (midden) near a sea cliff. Two of the wild dogs attack Rontu, but Rontu emerges as the victor.

Fact Check: Trash

Can mounds of seashells be found on San Nicolas Island? 

What do we know?
Native islanders disposed of their trash—leftover food, shells that had once contained meat, and other materials—in piles that became mounds. These mounds can be found in a number of places on San Nicolas Island. Scientists call these trash heaps middens.

What’s the evidence?
Primary source: Examine a photo of a midden on San Nicolas Island.

Voices from the Field

Dr. Jon Erlandson, Professor of Anthropology, University of Oregon, talks about barbed projectile points he found in redwood boxes on San Nicolas Island in 2009. 

See It Yourself!

You may encounter middens while exploring the five islands in Channel Islands National Park. Remember that everything in the national park is protected.

Teacher Resources

Writing Prompts and Lesson Plans