Abstract

The Laurel Culture is examined in terms of material culture, adaptive strategy, dating, origins and later developments. It is asserted the earliest ceramic-using peoples in southern Manitoba displayed an adaptive advantage over the indigenous Archaic inhabitants of this region in that the former utilized a more diffuse exploitation of their total environment. The appearance of Laurel Culture in southeast Manitoba corresponds with the onset of the sub-Atlantic Climatic Episode–a time of relatively pronounced environmental changes. These are to some extent reflected in local faunal assemblages. The applicability of Stoltman's seriation of Laurel ceramic 'types' to southeast Manitoba is discussed. The paper terminates with a case being made for cultural continuity between the Middle and Late Woodland cultures of this area insofar as this is relavant to the ethnic identity of the authors of Blackduck ceramics.