Résumé (en anglais):

Many of the precontact and early contact cultures of the Northern Plains have been the subjects of many debates in archaeological circles. Mortlach is certainly no exception, as the nature of its pottery classification has been an ongoing dispute for almost a decade. One of the issues to date is the possible relationship between Vickers Focus and Mortlach. The key to understanding the relationship between the two may indeed lie in the Makotchi-Ded Dontipi locale in Manitoba's Lauder Sandhills. This unique 'ecological island' is home to a large number of sites (Hamilton and Nicholson 1999), including neighboring Vickers focus and Mortlach sites, whose pottery shares a few common characteristics. The pottery from these sites can be examined and compared with that recovered from known Mortlach and Vickers sites. From there, we can explore several plausible explanations as to the relationship between Mortlach and the Vickers focus.