Michael Broderick
2842 MacDonald St.
Vancouver, B.C.
V6K 3x9 ,

July 2, 1980.

Mayor and Council , ;
City of Port Coquitlam EE
2272 iicAllister | i \ \i

JUL 7 1880

Fort Coquitlam, 5.C.

Dear Gentlemen:
RE: RENEWAL OF PERMISSION TO LIGHT FIRES

Iam employed by the Ministry of the Provincial
Secretary, Heritage Conservation Branch, Resource fanagement
Division, and I am currently involved in the analysis of
materials excavated from the Pitt River archaeologicai sife,
located in Port Coquitlam at the foot of Pitt River Road.

You will recall that last year I applied to your
council for permissior. to build some experimental fires on-
the property formerly owned by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kroeker.
This. property, when excavated was found to contain about
76 hearth-like features which were in operation between 150
and 1000 years ago. 1t was decided that test fires were
neccessary to properly interpret what these ancient fires
were used for, and as a result of my application, permission
was Granted. Unfortunately, rainfall had innundated the
field by the time I had located the equipment required for
monitering temperature. This letter is a request to have
the. permit renewed.

You will recall that a large portion of the site was
devoted to plant processing - particularly the berries of
Maianthemum dilatatum ( deer berry) which is still abundent ,
‘in the area. Many carbonized seeds of this plant were recover:

from some of the teature layers. I1t is supposed that the
features were used to steam these berries, likely to
seperate the flesh from the stones so that the flesh could
be dried and stored for winter use. The positions of the
agifferent layers in the argéhaeolosical record, and the floral
remains they contained,,suggest that the following technique
was used to steam the berries. First, a shallow depression
was excavated in the sand, and a large fire was built in it.
The fire was allowed to burn to ash, ard the ashwas removed.
"his is evident in the archacological record as ‘ash spreads
occur erount the depressions, kext, the depressions of hat