Abstract:

Recent mechanized gravel removal along the shores of Big Trout Lake revealed human skeletal remains that were subsequently discovered and completely excavated by a local resident. In light of past discoveries of burials in similar shoreline contexts nearby, the Chief and Council at Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug sought analysis and dating to aid in interpretation. They loaned the material to the Lakehead University Department of Anthropology for dating and analysis prior to reburial. A small collection of stone artifacts recovered from the nearby beach was also loaned for analysis. Radiocarbon dating of the remains indicates an antiquity of 4450 ± 50 (TO-11878). With the nearby burials from Wapekeka First Nation dating to about 7,000 years ago, these remains are among the oldest yet discovered in Ontario, and attest to the comparatively early occupation of the taiga region. Ongoing biological analysis is addressing the physical condition and health profile of this adult male individual.