Introduction
The coastal area of British Columbia is part of what is often referred to as "the great Northwest Coast." British Columbia has an advanced, thriving economy with modern industries including manufacturing, transportation, mining, fishing, and forestry. Even the movie industry prospers by using the visual beauty of this coastline of western North America.

Many groups of people with different languages and customs have prospered for thousands of years along the coast and inland along the fjords, riverways and inland plateau areas of British Columbia.

The early peoples of the West coast had thriving communities. They established trade networks and developed industries based on the abundant natural resources such as fish, seafood and wood. They also developed ways of using local materials for basic needs and to add artistic, distinctive touches to their homes, clothing, tools, and ceremonial items. Today, many First Nations artists carry on the traditions of their ancestors.

Some of the tools used long ago by First Nations peoples have been found on isolated beaches, discovered by road construction crews, collected by ethnologists, or uncovered by archaeologists and exposed by controlled and recorded excavations. Archaeologists call these finds "artifacts."

On this Web site, you can learn about some of the tools used by the First Nations peoples of British Columbia. There are six of these artifacts: spindle whorls, bark shredders, slate mirrors, whatzits, segmented stones, and artist's dishes. Some are similar to items that were used in the recent past or are still in use today. You will also read about a few artifacts that remain mysteries to today's researchers.

Discover more about the rich heritage of Canada's First Nations by connecting to other Web sites provided as links, in the Further Reading section.

Many cultures became adept at producing different types of yarns by hand spinning techniques. Before contact with Europeans, First Nations peoples in areas of British Columbia spun fibres to make yarn by using the hand spinning method.

One hand spinning method involves the round spindle whorl. It was used as a weight on a long, wooden shaft called a spindle. As the shaft was twirled by hand, the spindle whorl helped to keep the shaft turning. It also kept the finished wool from slipping off the shaft.

The round spindle whorl is flat with a hole through the middle and it comes in different sizes and weights, depending on the kind of fibre being used. Some of the spindle whorls were carved with elaborate designs.

Hair and fur from dogs and mountain goats were used to spin yarn. Then the yarn was woven into textiles such as clothing and blankets. The designs of the textiles often portrayed family affiliations and held spiritual meaning. Nettle fibres were also used to spin a fine yarn for fish netting.

In Canada, spindle whorls were only found in British Columbia, prior to European contact. Early examples of spindle whorls have been found elsewhere in the world made from materials such as stone, wood, antler, ivory, bone, and clay. In British Columbia, most spindle whorls were made from hard wood, whalebone or antler and occasionally from stone.