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.