Scotland, Prehistory, chloroform and cave sites: A legacy of thought, Peterborough, 2008 – Kristján Ahronson Abstract
The idea that caves held significance in later prehistoric and early medieval landscapes has long been mooted, and, in the case of northern Britain, has been driven by the dedicated interests of key figures in the history of archaeology, such as Sir Daniel Wilson and Sir James Young Simpson. These two men were multi-faceted scholars of great significance. In his seminal 1851 publication Archæology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland, Wilson coined 'Prehistory' and brought important ideas from Scandinavian scholarship to Britain and later to Canada. Simpson, in turn, is most widely known for his discovery and advocacy of how to successfully apply chloroform; however, he was also a leader for Scotland's archaeological community, bringing a wealth of wide-ranging knowledge and fresh perspectives to the field. Following on from Wilson and Simpson, a century and a half of research in Scotland identified cave sites as an aspect of early medieval settlement, and relates these places to the flowering of Gaelic monasticism. Nonetheless, there is a wider context for these sites and the fundamental similarities between early Christian communities across Britain and Ireland are at odds with this northern distribution. By considering the origins of our ideas for early medieval Britain, this paper targets the question of whether our perception of cave use may be skewed by the long history of Scottish interest in the topic. Given his prominence and long career at the University of Toronto, an unresolved question is to what extent Wilson's ideas affected his perception of cave sites in Canada.
Ceramic Variability and Social Identity: Applying Ideas about Technical Choices and Chaine Operatoire to Iroquoian Pottery, Peterborough, 2008 – Kathleen Sydoriak M. Allen Abstract
Ethnoarchaeological research has provided many insights into understanding the causes of ceramic variability in the archaeological record. Among these are those that focus on technical choices and manufacturing processes in relation to social boundaries. The ability to examine what was formerly termed function and style in a more unified way through a consideration of technological style provides new insight into the ways variability in ceramics relates to social and group identities and the process of marking social boundaries (whether intentional or not). Analysis of ceramics from two contemporary early historic Seneca village sites provides a database within which to apply results from several ethnoarchaeological studies. Patterns of technological variability as evidenced in vessel morphology, construction, and decorative techniques are analyzed for evidence of the use of material culture as an expression of social boundaries. While insights into Iroquoian ceramic variability and its causes are gained, problems in identifying appropriate interpretations remain and are discussed.
Beyond Linnaean Taxonomy and Towards Alternative Animal Classification in Zooarchaeology, Peterborough, 2008 – Adam Allentuck Abstract
Linnaean systematics is based on evolutionary histories, degrees of difference in reproductive biology and biomechanics among animals. The question of whether people in the past also divided their animal worlds along the same lines has not been critically evaluated in zooarchaeological research. Ingold asserts in The Perception of the Environment that meaningful taxonomy can only be attained once we understand how people negotiate their relationships with one another and with their environments. Though Ingold was referring to contemporary societies, this sentiment has not been adopted in zooarchaeological studies of human-animal interactions. Furthermore, the contextual-interpretive theoretical framework has been widely adopted among archaeologists working with traditional forms of material culture, but zooarchaeology continues to be practiced within the essentialist-positivist paradigm that upholds Linnaean taxonomy as immutable. In order to achieve meaningful interpretation of faunal assemblages, I propose that analysis should be founded on a contextually situated folk taxonomy that may or may not relate to our scientific notions of animal classification.
Coastal Dune Activation, Stabilization and Cycling: The Taphonomy of Buried and Stratified Archaeological Sites in the Lake Michigan Basin, Peterborough, 2008 – William A. Lovis , Alan F. Arbogast , and William G. Monaghan Abstract
Our research is directed at understanding the processes that contribute to the formation and preservation of buried and stratified archaeological sites in coastal dunes, particularly as such formation and preservation relates to the periodic cycling of activation and stabilization episodes. We have systematically dated deposits of coastal eolian sand, and paleosols contained within them, via OSL and radiocarbon dating respectively, to reconstruct these relationships. Samples were drawn from many sites by deep coring and at others by hand where good vertical exposures occur. These dates were augmented with AMS ages derived from carbonized residues on curated ceramics of varying age. Preliminary analyses of these data suggest that geoarchaeological relationships in coastal dunes vary in space and time, with at least four coastal partitions present. In general, older sites are more likely to be preserved in the southeastern part of the lake basin, whereas they are absent northward. We discuss the related contributions of isostatic uplift, lake level fluctuation, and wind direction to this variability.
Black Island: A 4000 year old Aullâvik near Nain, Labrador, Peterborough, 2008 – Jenneth E. Curtis , Gary BAIKIE , and Lena Onalik Abstract
An aullâvik is a place occupied by Inuit on a regular, seasonal basis for purposes of resource gathering. Today Black Island is a vibrant contemporary aullâvik for Inuit from Nain who maintain their connection to the history and traditions of the island. The archaeological record further attests to the antiquity of this seasonal-use place with Historic Inuit, Dorset Palaeoeskimo, and Maritime Archaic sites. This paper will explore the continuity of seasonal, human occupation on the island through analyses of site locations, cultural features, and artifact collections.
Potential for Deeply Buried Archaeological Sites in Ontario based on the Glacial History., Peterborough, 2008 – Peter J. Barnett Abstract
During the last deglaciation of Ontario, events occurred that resulted in transgression of lake levels and the possible deposition of lake sediments over pre-existing landscapes. These transgressions were the result of glacier re-advances, changes in the routing of glacier meltwater and isostatic rebound. Glacier re-advance could result in the direct burial of archaeology sites by till or blocking meltwater drainage passageways resulting in flooding of surfaces in front of the glacier that were previously exposed. The Arkona-Whittlesey, Kirkfield-Main Algonquin and the Nipissing Great Lakes transgressions are examples of these types of transgressions. Glacier re-advance to the Marks and Dog Lake moraines (Marquette advance) is an example where there is a possibility that a habitable pre-existing landscape was overridden and covered with till and areas immediately in front of the ice were rapidly flooded by ponding meltwater. The value of using a hillshaded digital elevation model (DEM) to find potential areas to explore for buried archaeology sites is examined.
Investigating health and mortality in the Hamilton Cemetery: The impact of progressive inclusion, Peterborough, 2008 – Heather Battles , Sarah Buchanen-Berrigan , Stacey Hallman , and Martyna Janjua Abstract
The issue of burial representativeness is central to any attempt to reconstruct patterns of life and death in the past. Building on the work of Cannon (1995), we examine the impact of progressive inclusion on efforts to study the impact of industrialization and urbanization through the demographic distribution of mortality. To address this issue, we used a sample of 400 gravestones yielding a total of 881 individuals in the Hamilton Cemetery in Hamilton, Ontario. The data were sorted according to birth cohorts and analyzed by age and sex.
Sod House Structure Architecture of the 19th Century Labrador Métis, Peterborough, 2008 – Matthew Beaudoin Abstract
The use of sods in house structure construction was common throughout the Labrador coast since the Labrador Inuit first entered the region. Since sod house structures are well suited for this environment, they were quickly adapted and used by a wide variety of different cultures and groups throughout Labrador. The use of sod structures by Inuit, seasonal fishers and permanent European settlers has littered the coast with sod house remains. This paper will discuss how the architecture of a recently excavated 19th century Labrador Métis sod house structure compares and contrasts to those of the other cultural groups in the region. Differences in the architectural features, house layout and methods of construction are apparent, and outlining these differences is the preliminary step in creating an archaeological definition of the Labrador Métis that could be used to help determine cultural affiliation of sod house structures on the Labrador Coast.
Rethinking the Archaeological Application of Iroquoian Kinship, Peterborough, 2008 – Jennifer Birch Abstract
Kinship is the primary idiom through which social and political relationships are constructed and maintained in Northern Iroquoian societies. As such, it has often been invoked in explanations for organizational changes observed archaeologically. However, if overly generalized models of Iroquoian kinship are employed to explain the archaeological record we risk masking the variable and contingent nature of social relationships as they existed in practice. In this paper I discuss the historical construction of Iroquoian kinship by anthropologists and how archaeologists have applied the resulting models. I discuss how the terms matrilineage and clan have been used to describe household and village organization and offer alternative suggestions for how kinship-based relationships might be more productively employed (and not employed) in archaeological interpretations of Iroquoian society.
The George Frederick Clarke Artifact Collection: Canoe and Portage Connections, Peterborough, 2008 – David W. Black Abstract
Dr. George Frederick Clarke (1883–1974), a dentist and author, and an avocational archaeologist and historian, wrote the first book-length work devoted largely to the pre-contact archaeology of New Brunswick, and was awarded an honorary PhD by the University of New Brunswick. In 2006, his collection of 2700 artifacts and associated notes and records were donated to UNB by the Clarke family. Dr. Clarke's archaeological activities coincided with a time when little professional archaeological work was being conducted in the province, and many of the sites he found and explored were submerged, subsequently, beneath the head-ponds of hydro-electric dams. Thus, his work is important for its potential contributions to constructing regional archaeological history and for its place in the history of Canadian archaeology. One potential contribution is the light the Clarke collection may shed on the portage route between the headwaters of the Tobique and Miramichi river systems, which spans the traditional territories of the Wolastoqiyik and the Mi'kmaq.
Reflections on the Ancient Maya: Iron Ore Mosaic Mirrors, Part 1 (Manufacture, Dating, and Contexts), Peterborough, 2008 – Paul F. Healy , and Marc G. Blainey Abstract
The ancient Maya of Central America created, and employed, composite lithic artifacts termed mirrors by archaeologists. These objects, typically flat, shiny, iron ore plaques, fitted in a mosaic pattern to a backing of stone, ceramic, or wood, are assessed for their spatial, temporal, and functional contexts. Over 500 archaeological specimens from 41 sites in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras are examined.
Here's Looking at You: Ancient Maya Mirrors, Part 2 (Iconographic and Epigraphic Instances of Iron Ore Mosaic Mirrors in Ancient Maya Art), Peterborough, 2008 – Marc G. Blainey , and Paul F. Healy Abstract
The most prominent occurrence of ancient Maya iron-ore mirrors beyond those excavated archaeologically arises in their depiction in artistic works. The images on painted polychrome ceramics demonstrate mirrors functioning as principal objects in the royal court. Within this elite context, the iconographic evidence demonstrates that the mirrors were meant to be gazed into, but exactly what this gazing indicates is a much more elusive consideration. A consistent patterning of depictions provides the basis for a typology of physical mirror styles. Furthermore, the contexts in which mirrors are represented relative to the associated human actors in the painted scenes suggests possible renderings of the emic function of these objects in ancient Maya religion and socio-political environments. Supplementing the iconographic evidence, the analysis of hieroglyphs associated with the luminescent qualities of mirrors will work towards an interpretive model of a reflective surface complex of ancient Maya cosmology.
Reflecting on the Looking Glass: An Exploration of Ancient Maya Mirrors beyond the Southeast Periphery, Peterborough, 2008 – Carrie Dennett , and Marc G. Blainey Abstract
Maya iron ore 'mirrors' are known from both primary archaeological contexts and their iconographic representation on various artistic media, especially ceramics, in the Late Classic and Postclassic periods. It is generally accepted that these mirrors served as elite status items; typically the personal effects of Maya lords and nobles. Several hypotheses are introduced and examined in an effort to understand why these symbolically-charged elite status items occur in regions beyond the Maya southeast periphery. Exploratory frameworks focus on diachronically shifting socio-political power structure(s) and socioeconomic restructuring as potential explanations for the occurrence of Maya mirror in Lower Central America.
Fabric of Time: the Augustine Mound textiles, Peterborough, 2008 – Elizabeth N. Gorman , and Dr. Susan E. Blair Abstract
Textile technologies in the Northeast are scantly evidenced in the archaeological record, due to the acidic soils in the region. Contrary to this, however, numerous partially mineralized textile artifacts were excavated from the Augustine Mound, a prehistoric Mi'kmaq cemetery located on the Metepenagiag (Red Bank) reserve in New Brunswick, Canada. Such preservation was afforded due to the inclusion of several thousand copper beads. Among these artifacts are textiles that represent the earliest known forms of textile arts for the region. These artifacts vary in form and structure, and include twined, and plaited fabric, basketry, and matting, as well as wrapped textiles, braids, and cordage on which shell and copper beads were strung. Many of these technologies are still practiced by the Mi'kmaq people, such as in the manufacture of woodsplint basketry, and rush matting. This paper will explore linkages of continuity and change between these past and present textile technologies.
Bulk procurement and transportation in the Saint John River valley, Peterborough, 2008 – Susan E. Blair Abstract
While archaeologists studying stone tool assemblages have devoted considerable attention to relationships among technology, raw material procurement and mobility, most of this attention has focused on the influence of mobility upon technology, and not on the influence of technology upon mobility. This particular focus has led to some oversimplifications in the modeling of hunter-gatherer socio-ecology and mobility, and an emphasis on pedestrian movements. In turn, this emphasis has significantly influenced our treatment of efficiency, reduction for transport, and technological organization. In this paper I discuss my recent research into technology and lithic reduction on the Maritime Peninsula, and examine some of the implications of bulk transportation with watercraft for analyses of hunter-gatherer mobility, lithic technology, and patterning in the archaeological record.
Lithic Characterization Using Synchrotron Radiation: What Extremely Bright Light Reveals about Beaver River Sandstone, Peterborough, 2008 – Elizabeth C. Robertson , Robert Blyth , and Alan Korejbo Abstract
Cultural resource management projects associated with oil sands development in northeastern Alberta have identified large numbers of archaeological sites containing dense concentrations of lithics composed of a locally available material known as Beaver River Sandstone (BRS). Although BRS has been the subject of previous characterization studies, there continues to be uncertainty regarding the marked physical variability that it displays, both at potential source areas and in artifacts made from BRS. This uncertainty is partly due to questions regarding the extent to which heat treatment was used by precontact groups to physically alter the raw material. Using the exceptionally high-resolution analytical capability provided by the Canadian Light Source, Canada's national synchrotron facility, we are identifying new ways for pinpointing archaeologically exploited BRS source areas and for examining how this material is altered by heat treatment; these techniques are not only proving useful for the investigation of BRS, but offer great potential for characterization studies of a wide range of lithic materials.
Submerged Archaic Site Potential of Rice Lake, Ontario, Peterborough, 2008 – Lisa Sonnenburg , and Joe Boyce Abstract
Rice Lake, near Peterborough, Ontario, has been continuously occupied by humans throughout the Holocene (ca. last 12,000 yrs). Pollen records from Rice Lake record a mid-Holocene phase of lower lake levels at 6000 YBP that is linked to a regional mid-Holocene period of drier climates. The lowstand phase corresponds with the Archaic period of southern Ontario (9,000-3000 years BP), an era characterized by low archaeological visibility and highly disturbed sites. It has been proposed that the apparent paucity of such sites in the Great Lakes Region may be linked to the submergence of sites by rising water levels following the mid-Holocene lowstand. This research, which commenced in 2007, is employing multi-proxy geoarchaeological methods, including sediment coring, remote sensing and analysis of microdebitage to identify areas of high potential for submerged Prehistoric sites in Rice Lake. These data are being integrated within a predictive archaeological model that employs both landscape variables and spatial distribution of microdebitage to predict submerged site locations.
What lies beneath? A survey of the evidence in southern Ontario., Peterborough, 2008 – Andrew M. Stewart , Joseph R. Desloges , Christopher J. Ellis , Robert H. PIHL , and Michael Brand Abstract
The conventional notion that southern Ontario's Holocene landscape is relatively unchanged in 10,000 years, experiencing only minor post-glacial infilling/exposure, has discouraged archaeologists from looking for cultural deposits that are buried beneath the plough zone. Geoarchaeological results from southern Michigan suggest, however, that river floodplains and lake plains around the Great Lakes, among other depositional environments, have high potential for preserving former land surfaces, including paleosols, as well as associated cultural deposits, often with no surface expression. The archaeological record in major river valleys of southern Ontario including the Grand, Thames, Ausable and other rivers suggests that similar potential exists for lower reaches of rivers and the lake plain of Lake Huron below the Nipissing stage strandline. Assembling data on the location of these sites within the landscape and on their stratigraphy, however incomplete, is the first step towards creating a regional depositional model that will allow many more buried sites to be found in Ontario.
Internship Experience in Archaeological Collections Management: Improving the Status of McMaster's Research Collections, Peterborough, 2008 – Eliza Brandy , Matthew J. Seguin , and Meghan Burchell Abstract
In September of 2007 the Department of Anthropology at McMaster University initiated the 'Collections Management Plan'. After decades in storage the materials recovered by archaeological field research conducted in 1960's and 1970's have been re-excavated from their cardboard matrix. The necessity for this came from a need for more storage space for existing materials, but most importantly it came from a recognized responsibility to maintain the collections and their potential for furthering research into Ontario's archaeological history. The objective is to develop and maintain a comprehensive database of excavated sites which will enable us to provide researchers with access to materials and information pertaining to the collections. It has also provided an opportunity to engage current undergraduate students with the changing practices of Canadian Archaeology. We hope that this research will reach the broader archaeological community and present opportunities for learning more about the history of this extensive collection.
Performance Characteristics of Rock-Tempered Iroquoian Pottery, Peterborough, 2008 – Greg Braun Abstract
Traditional analyses of Iroquoian pottery have focused on decorative attributes, with little attention given to its manufacture. In recent years, some research has suggested that an examination of manufacturing characteristics can make valuable contributions to our knowledge of Ontario Iroquoian society. The main goal of this paper is to investigate several aspects of pottery production through replication and experimentation. Previous research has suggested that at some Iroquoian sites, potters were tempering their clay with various types of rock, some of which required more effort to process than did others. I therefore wish to investigate whether the choice to expend more effort in the acquisition of certain tempers was primarily informed by a desire for certain performance characteristics, such as heating efficiency or resistance to thermal shock. If these tempers do not provide any performance benefits, it may be that the decision to use certain rocks over others as temper was influenced by "non-functional" or social concerns.
Here for a Reason: The Dundas Islands as a Gateway Community, Peterborough, 2008 – Natalie Brewster Abstract
This paper examines the important role that the Dundas Islands played in the context of the northern coast of British Columbia. For hunter-fisher-gatherers living in this region salmon and eulachon represented both dietary staples and highly valued trade commodities. There is a volatile history of conflict on the northern coast that may be related to efforts to control the abundant Nass and Skeena River fisheries where these resources were procured. Furthermore, the settlement choices of the region's inhabitants reflect a similar endeavor. Though they are a marginal resource area, intensive settlements were maintained on the Dundas Islands. The strategic location of the islands along transportation routes to both rivers provided a means to both defend and control access to the fisheries.
Assessing Rock Art Erosion with Portable Laser Scanners, Peterborough, 2008 – Jack Brink Abstract
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park (WOSPP), in southern Alberta, is home to a large collection of Aboriginal rock art images. Numerous erosional forces are destroying the images. However, recent research indicates that some forms of rock art weathering can be delayed through implementation of both passive and active conservation treatments. Implementing these treatments raised the issue of how to asses their effectiveness. Portable laser scanning offers promise, not just for detailed recording of rock art, but also for charting the progress of conservation experiments. This paper describes conservation methods at WOSPP and reports on two laser scanning episodes, spaced over 27 months. Comparison of the two scans suggests that erosion is taking place on short time intervals, and that greater weathering is occurring on the surface not treated with chemical consolidants. While all rock art will ultimately disappear, there is hope for extending the life of select images.
Ice and Fire? The Evolution of Outbuildings at the Macdonell-Williamson House, Peterborough, 2008 – Dena Doroszenko , and Meagan Brooks Abstract
The Macdonell-Williamson House is situated in the Township of East Hawkesbury on the southern shore of the Ottawa River, adjacent to the village of Pointe-Fortune. John Macdonell, a retired North West Company fur trader, was prolific in the construction of outbuildings during the early period of occupation on the property. Between 1817 and 1842 he built over 20 outbuildings, six of which have been discovered archaeologically in the space of one acre. This paper will discuss the ice house and smokehouse buildings uncovered during archaeological assessment in 2007 and their context within the farmstead estate.
SIMS oxygen isotope analysis of human dental tissues from Fidler Mounds (EaLf-3), MB: mobility during Manitoba's Middle and Late Woodland period, Peterborough, 2008 – Rachel ten Bruggencate , Robert D. Hoppa , and Mostafa J. Fayek Abstract
Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) was used to obtain stable oxygen isotope data from the dental tissues of 12 individuals once interred at Fidler Mounds (EaLf-3), a cemetery mound site located in south-central Manitoba, 19 kilometers north of Winnipeg. Fidler Mounds was originally constructed c.1800BP and was utilized as a burial ground by precontact peoples in Manitoba for approximately 1000 years thereafter. The use of SIMS allowed the researcher to obtain several in situ _18O values from each individual's intact cementum, dentin and enamel. These values show that mobility patterns during Manitoba's middle and late Woodland period were extremely complex and varied. Additionally, intra-tissue _18O variability recorded through SIMS analysis indicates that traditional mass spectrometry may not be appropriate for assessing migration patterns within highly mobile populations.
Gender and Ethnicity in Postclassic Greater Nicoya, Peterborough, 2008 – Nicole Brunel Abstract
Cross-analysis of ceramic female figurines from Santa Isabel and other Mesoamerican artifacts for the purpose of comparison with ethnohistoric chronologies of ethnic migrations, settlements and interactions in Greater Nicoya. Along with ethnicity, emphasis is placed heavily on gender in Postclassic Greater Nicoya, also explored through observation of consistencies and contradictions between archaeological and ethnohistoric data. Major topics include, grand-mother and motherhood in the archaeological record, ideology, ethnic and gender symbolism in costume and bodily decoration, and gender complementarity.
