Archaeological and Palaeo-Environmental Investigations at Lake Temagami, 1985–1994
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52 Ontario Archaeology No. 93, 2013 A Lake through Time: Archaeological and Palaeo-Environmental Investigations at Lake Temagami, 1985–1994 Diana L. Gordon (with contributions by John H. McAndrews and Ian D. Campbell)1 Surveys for precontact and historic sites, excavation of the multi-component Three Pines (CgHa-6) and Witch Point (CgHa-7) sites, and pollen coring of three bogs provide wide-ranging information on the changing cultural and natural history of Lake Temagami. Increased knowledge of changing palaeo-shorelines modifies interpretation of known sites and alters survey methodology. Survey first along and later inland from modern shorelines produced precontact campsites, lithic workshops, vein quartz quarries, and nineteenth- to twentieth- century Teme-Augama Anishnabai traditional use sites. Because of the topographic constraints of Lake Temagami, hunter-gatherers favoured those limited locations with well-drained, flat ground; protection from cold winds; and ease of shoreline access. Three Pines has shallow, compressed soils that are typical of precontact sites on the Canadian Shield, but a modified Harris Matrix analysis allows insights into the stratigraphic sequence of occupations from the Archaic to Modern periods. Site-significant landscape changes seem to have affected spatial patterns of site usage and potentially led to the loss of early components. In contrast to the results from the Three Pines site, preliminary results from the Witch Point site show deeper deposits, greater artifact densities, numerous cobble features, and lithic reduction activities. These structural differences relate to variation in site landscape, elevation, seasonality, and cultural usage. Late Woodland ritual behaviour, suggested by a dog burial and red ochre at the Witch Point site, is examined in the context of early post-contact accounts wherein rituals reinforce group alliances. Introduction clues that connect questions arising from one This paper presents a chronological overview of project to further investigations in the next. For archaeological and palaeo-environmental research example, a Harris Matrix stratigraphic analysis of conducted at Lake Temagami between 1985 and the Three Pines site indicated that some Archaic 1994 (Figure 1). Fieldwork involved the 1986 period occupations were marginally closer to the excavation of the multi-component Three Pines shore than nineteenth-century ones, suggesting (CgHa-6) site (Gordon 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990a, 1990b, 1990c, 1991a, 1991b), palynological and palaeo-hydrological research on Lake Temagami 1 The analysis and writing of this paper were conducted in 1987 and 1991 (Gordon 1989, 1992; Gordon largely by Gordon, but the paper incorporates field et al. 1992; Gordon and McAndrews 1992), and investigations and analysis by McAndrews in the sections entitled “Mid-Holocene Lake Transgression: excavations at the Witch Point (CgHa-7) site in Evidence from the Three Pines Bog” and “Vegetation 1993 and 1994 (Gordon 1993, 1994a, 1994b, and Climatic History of Lake Temagami” and by 1995a, 1995b). McAndrews and Campbell in the section entitled What ties this diverse work together? The first “Palaeo-hydrological Investigations at Lake Temagami: tie is the research narrative: the interweaving of Implications for Precontact Site Location.” Diana L. Gordon A Lake through Time 53 changing water levels. This interpretation was level rise of 4 m over the past 7,500 years. This confirmed by a pollen core from the adjacent finding led to the field-testing of a predictive Three Pines Bog, which showed a substantial lake model of palaeo-shoreline location, involving the Figure 1. Northeastern Ontario Drainage Systems and Key Archaeological Sites (Inset: Locations of (A) Lake Temagami Study Area (B) Lac Washadimi, Qué. (C) North Caribou Lake). 54 Ontario Archaeology No. 93, 2013 coring of three additional bogs as well as some These different projects together reveal a inland archaeological survey. It also led to research trajectory, an expanding focus of inquiry choosing a higher-elevation site, the Witch Point in space and time. Here a visual analogy is useful, site, for excavation, to add to the developing one of ever-broadening, concentric rings from an sequence of occupation for Lake Temagami. artifact in its stratigraphic context (Three Pines The second interconnecting factor is the Harris Matrix analysis); to the archaeological site, “landscape context/stratigraphic approach” first in its local landscape context (Three Pines (Gordon 1991a, 1991b), which integrates the baymouth bar and bog); then in its regional methodological work of Edward Harris (1979a) environmental context (palaeohydrology of Lake in stratigraphy, Karl Butzer (1982) in Temagami); and, finally, hunter-gatherer geoarchaeology, and Michael Schiffer (1987) in behaviour in the context of the human ecosystem site formation processes. This approach focuses on (site selection criteria; Late Woodland ritual the natural and cultural formation processes that evidence and alliance formation). have interacted to create the archaeological site and its landscape setting over time and Natural and Cultural Setting incorporates such geoarchaeological studies as Lake Temagami is a deep lake with good fishing geology, geomorphology, pedology, and and a diversity of shoreline features, and it would microstratigraphy. These broader lines of inquiry have been attractive to precontact and historic complement formal artifact analyses. hunter-gatherers. It is connected to three drainage The discussion also integrates ethnographic, systems and to north–south travel routes (Figures historical, and oral history information to aid in 1 and 2). From Diamond Lake to the north, one the interpretation of cultural formation processes enters the Montreal River drainage into Lake in the precontact, historic, and modern periods. Timiskaming and the Ottawa River system. One Gordon’s archaeological research at Lac can also reach Lake Timiskaming eastward through Washadimi in northwestern Québec (Chism the Matabichuan system. Through Cross Lake to 1978; Gordon 1980; Tanner 1978a, 1978b) and the south and the Temagami River, there is access at North Caribou Lake in northwestern Ontario to the Sturgeon River drainage, Lake Nipissing, the (Gordon 1985, 1988a, 1988b) was conducted in French River, and Lake Huron. Several of these conjunction with ethnographic and routes were well known in the early post-contact ethnoarchaeological studies, working with both and fur trade periods (Heidenreich 1971; Mitchell Cree and Ojibway families (see Figure 1 inset). 1977). The height of land marking the drainage The insights gained into the subsistence, divide between the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay is locational, and material usage strategies of these 130 km to the north. modern hunter-gatherers have strongly influenced Lake Temagami’s shoreline is relatively the overall project approach to the archaeological undeveloped in terms of mining, hydro-electric record of Lake Temagami. In 1994, former Chief generation, and construction. It is mostly Crown and Teme-Augama Anishnabai Elder William (Bill) land with restricted road access. Cottage building Twain of Bear Island showed Gordon many is confined to the 1,200 islands. During this traditional use sites, sharing his knowledge of the fieldwork, development was slowed by legal history of the “Deep Water by the Shore People”. cautions on land titles filed in 1973 by the Bear This information has helped interpret site lsland Foundation (Court Judgments 1984; Hall selection criteria based on the landscape context 1990; Potts 1989). Land claims had also generated of surveyed sites and elucidate differences in much local interest in heritage matters and seasonal use between the Witch Point and Three support of archaeological and ethnoarchaeological Pines sites. It has also suggested possible research. While archaeological resources had been interpretations of social factors underlying documented (Boyle 1900; Conway and Conway evidence for Late Woodland ritual behaviour at 1989; Dewdney and Kidd 1967), there was, and the Witch Point site. still is, great potential for in-depth exploration. Diana L. Gordon A Lake through Time 55 Figure 2. Lake Temagami - Key Locations (Note: only the largest of the 1,200 islands are shown). 56 Ontario Archaeology No. 93, 2013 Bedrock Geology 1978; Simony 1964). Oldest are the Superior Bedrock and surficial geology define the Province rocks (Archean >2.5 bya) formed in a configuration of the lake and its varied landforms. “marine environment with volcanism and Table 1 presents a lithologic column for Lake sedimentary activities” (Hewittt and Freeman Temagami (Gordon 1990a) and possible primary 1978:75). In the Temagami area, Superior and secondary sources of lithic raw materials used Province rocks comprise mostly metamorphosed by precontact tool-makers, identified by volcanics. sedimentary geologist Geof H. Burbidge (1988). In the Early Proterozoic (2.5 bya), Huronian Lake Temagami lies at the junction of all three rocks of the Southern Province formed. These structural provinces of the Precambrian Canadian sedimentary rocks underwent repeated folding, Shield: the Superior, Southern, and Grenville faulting, and metamorphosis (Hewitt and provinces (Burbidge 1988; Hewitt and Freeman Freeman 1978). Two of the four Huronian Table 1. Lithologic units, Lake Temagami area (after Gordon 1990a). Numbers in parentheses refer to lithic raw material sources for tools recovered from the Three Pines site. (1) light grey,