Microblade Complexes and Traditions in the Interior Northwest, As Seen from Kelly Creek, West-Central Yukon
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Heri tage Branch Government of the Yukon Hud~ Hudlln Series Occasional Papers in Archaeology No.6 MLCROBLADE COMPLEXES AND TRADITIONS IN THE INTERIOR NORTHWEST. AS SEEN FROM THE KELLY CREEK SITE, WEST-CENTRAL YUKON Donald W. Clark and Ruth M. Gotthardt With contributions from Paul Gregory Hare YUKON Tourism Heritage Branch Dave Keenan, Minister 1999 MICROBLADE COMPLEXES AND TRADITIONS IN THE INTERIOR NORTHWEST, AS SEEN FROM KELLY CREEK, WEST-CENTRAL YUKON DONALD W. CLARK Emeritus, Canadian Museum of Civilization RUTH M. GOTTHARDT Yukon Heritage Branch With contributions from PAUL GREGORY HARE Yukon Heritage Branch 1999 AllSTRACT This report describes the microblade industry from the Kelly Creek site, KbTx-2, which is located in the Frenchman La.kes area near Carmacks, Yukon. Testing and excavation was done at KbTx-2 during several seasons from 1981 to 1994. The si te produced one of the larger samples of a microblade industry to come from the Yukon, with more than 20 cores. The microblade cores are mainly classic examples of the Campus type, also referred to as Denali type. Abundant evidence was recovered of the Campus mode of platform rejuvenation through longitudinal detachment of platform tablets. In the broad context of northwestern North American prehistory, Kelly Creek is an American Palaeo-Arctic Or Denali complex, or Late Denali or Northwest Mioroblade tradition assemblage, or possibly even Northern Archaic tradition site. These tradition constructs only partially overlap or duplicate one another. [n an attempt to deal with and resolve what is plainly a systematics problem, we review and discuss these organizational constructs as they are used in the greater region. In preparation for this analysis, we review the distribution of microblade sites in the Yukon, western Mackenzie District and part of Alberta and British Columbia, especially focussing on the occurrence of wedge-shaped cores of the Campus type. Kelly Creek and related sites in the Yukon would best be considered within the American Palaeo-Arctic tradition, or as will be proposed, as a preferable label in this work, the Denali tradition (usually termed "complex"). The term Northwest Microblade tradition has primary utility east of the Rocky Mountains but may also be used for the Yukon with the understanding that there it differs little from Denali. SOMMAlRE Le present rapport decritl'industrie de microlames au site du ruisseau Kelly, KbTx-2, situe dans la region du lac Frenchman, pres de Carmacks (Yukon). Des tests et des travaux d'excavation ont ete effectues Sur plusieurs saisons, de 1981 II 1994, au site KbTx-2. Le site a produit un des plus grands echantillons d'industrie de microlames au Yukon, avec plus de 20 nucleus. Ces nucleus SOn! des exemples classiques du type Campus, aussi appele Denali. De nombreux specimens du type Campus de rajeunissement ont ete recueillis par detachementlongitudinal de tableltes. Dans Ie contexte de la pn~histoire du nord-ouest du continent, Ie si te de Kelly Creek est un complexe paleo-arctique americain ou de Denali, ou un assemblage de la tradition Denali superieur ou de la tradition des microlames du nord-ouest, voire un site de culture archalque nordique. Ces traditions ne se chevauchent et se dedoublent que partiellement. Pour regIe.! un probleme qui releve cJairement de la classification, nous avons revise ces structures organisationnelles telles qu'clles sont utilisees dans I'ensemble de la region. En preparation pour la presente analyse, nous avons etudie la distribution des sites de microlames au Yukon, dans I'ouest du district du Mackenzie et dans une partie de l'Alberta et de la Colombie·Britannique, en no us penchant tout particulierement sur les occurrences de nucleus cunei formes de type Campus. Le site du ruisseau Kelly et les Butres sites qui s'y apparentent au Yukon devraient faire partie de la tradition pa"~o-arctique americaine ou, com me il sera propose, et comme il sera utilise dans Ie present ouvrage, de la tradition Denali (commullement appelee «complexe Denali») . Le terme «tradition des microlames du nord-ouest» est surtout usite it I'est des Rocheuses, mais il peut egalement servir au Yukon, ell tenant compte qu'il se distingue peu du Denali. II CONTENTS Abstract . • . • . .. 11 List of Tables .. ........ ... .... .. .. ...... .... .. .... ... ... .. ....... ... ... ... vii List of Figures . .. VllU PREFACE Preface .. .... .. .. .. ..... ... ... ... ... ... .. ......... .. .. .... ... ix Acknowledgments x CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE Description of the Area and its Natural History Tatchun-Frenchman Country .. .. .. ..... ... ... ..... ... ... .. ..... Geologic History Glacial Times ..... .. ... .. .. .. ............. ..... ... ..... ... 4 Volcanic Eruptions 5 Bedrock Geology 6 Overview ofHurnan History in the Archaeological Mode The Ice Age: A New Land for an Old People .. ... .. .•. ... ..... ... ... ... 9 The Most Ancient Inhabitants? .... .. ..... ............ ... ...... .. .... ... 9 The Microblade People of the Palaeo-Arctic Tradition ... ... .. ... .... ... 10 Northern Archaic People . .. 11 The Post-Ash Period ... ... ...... .. ..... .... ........... .. ..... ... ....... 12 Living from the Land Resources . 13 The Seasonal Round ... ...... ........ ..... .... .. .. .. ...... .... 14 Hunting and Fishing . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 Shelters . .. .... .. • . • . .. 16 CHAPTER 2: A MICROBLADE PRODUCTION STATION: THE KELLY CREEK SITE (KbTx-2) Discovery and Description of the Site History offield Work .. .............. .. .. ... ... .. ..... .... ... 21 Description of the Site The site and vicinity ... .. ....... .. .... .... , .. ........... .. ...... 23 iii Natural and cultural stratigraphy 24 Artifact Recovery and Clusters 25 Dating . ........... .... .. .. .. ...... .... ... .. ... ... .... .. ... .... .. 27 Screening at KbTx-2 ....... ..... .. ......... ........ ... ..... .. .. ........ .... .... 29 Refitting ..... .. ... .... ... .. .... ....... .. .. ........... ........ .... ... .. 30 Lithic Material Distributions and their Bearing on the Separateness of Activity Clusters The Distribution of Black Chert ... .. ...... ....... .... .. .... ... .. .... 31 The Distribution of Flecked and Zoned Grey Chert .. .. .. 33 Excavations Outside the Microblade Clusters 34 Artifacts Microblades .. .. ........ .. .. 36 Microblade Cores .. .. .. .. .. .... ... ... .. ... ... .. .. ... .... .. .. .. ... 36 Other Implements not Part of Microblade Technology ... .... .. ... ... .. ... .. 37 Interpreting the Occupation ofKbTx-2 Overview ...... ....... ...... ... .. 37 The Definition of Discrete Activity Areas or Loci . .. 37 Evidence of Forest Fires and Camp Fires .... .. ... ............... • . .. .. .. .. 37 Nonrandom Di stribution of Conjoined Pieces ........... ....... ...... ... .... 38 Numbers and Ratios Similar between the Two Microblade Loci . .... .. 38 The Place of the Kelly Creek Site in Prehistory 39 Summary .. .. ... .............•...... .... ...... .. .. .... .. ... ............... 42 CHAPTER 3: KELLY CREEK (KbTx-2) ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS Microblades Defining the Sample . • . .. 58 Segment Representation .... ..... .......... .... ... .... .... ... ....• . 58 Retouch . 59 Arrises ......... .... • . .. 60 Size . .. 60 ThicknesslWidth Ratio . .. 63 Size Comparison . • . .. 63 Lithology .. .... .... .. • . • . .. 68 iv Microblade Cores and Byproducts: Description Swnmary ........................... .. ... ... ... ...... ... .. .... .. 70 Platform Tablets . .. .... .. ......................... .. .... .. ..... 70 Other Byproducts from the Manufacture and Use of Cores Blanks or Preforms ..... ... ... .... ...... ... .. ...... .. ......... 72 Microblade Core Face Rejuvenation .... .... ..... ..... .... • . ..... 75 Primary Ridged Spalls ............... • ....... ... .... •. ...... .. .. 75 Description of Individual Cores .. ............. .. ...... .. .... ..... 76 Production of the Cores ...... ........ ..... .... .. ...... ... .. • ....... 83 Comparisons of Microbiade Cores Overview .... .. ...... .. ...............•......... .. ...... ... ....... .. 86 Bezya .. .... ..... .. .. .............. ... ..... .. .. ... .. ..... 88 Great Bear Lake .... ............ ... ...... .. .. .. .......... ... 89 Pointed Mountain ................ ...... • ...... ... .. .. ............ ... 89 Dry Creek .. ..... • .... • ............ ...... ••... •. ..... ... •... .. 90 Healy Lake ... .. .. ........ • ................ .. ... ............ 91 Ice Mountain .......................... ............ ... ...... ...... 91 Otter Falls ... .. ...... .. .......... .............. .. .. ... ...•....... 92 The Geographical Distribution of Campus/Denali Type Cores 94 Flakes 94 Artifacts Not Part of the Microblade Industry Flake Cores .................. .................................. ... 95 Biface Points 95 Bevelled Flakes (side scraper category) ........ .. .•..... ...... ... ...... .. 96 End Scrapers .. ............ .... ...... ...•....................... 97 Other Uniface .... ....... .. ... ....... .... ...... .. ...... .. ..... .... .. 97 Burins and Burin Spalls ... .... .. .......... .. ................ .... ...... 98 Boulder Chips and Split Cobble Tools .. ......... ... .. ..... ... ........... 99 Hammerstone ...... .. ..... ... .. ...... .. ............... ... .. .. .... 100 Abrader . .. .. .. ...... ..... ..... .... ..... ... .. ...• .. ... .. .... 100 Swnmary .. .. .... .. ... , ... ... ......... ... .. ....... , ..... ... .... ........... 100 CHAPTER 4: MICROBLADE INDUSTRIES