1985 Field Report(Part
2)
by
Jean-Luc Pilon
NOGAP Archaeologist
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Field No:
85JLP-27
Borden No: MlTj-3
Location: lac à la
Truite
Evidence of past human activities were found
over a large area at the outlet of the stream linking lac à la
Truite and Tenlen Lake. On the right shore of the embouchure, both
recent evidence (a hearth and firewood) and older buried material were
recorded. The older material is comprised of fire-cracked rock eroding
from the low terrace (1.50-2 m). Faunal material was also recovered
from a thick sod/humus level in a small test unit. From the mouth,
north along the shore of the lake, a low and relatively narrow terrace
is actively eroding. Both fire-cracked rock and at least one linear
chert flake were found in the water in front of Locality 1, which is
located approximately 75 m north of the stream outlet. Fifty metres or
so north of Locality 1, a trail, which begins at the water's edge, leads
to a small lake and presumably further inland, perhaps to Tenlen Lake.
About sixty metres up the trail, a single fire-cracked rock was found
eroding from the side of the trail but test pitting could not locate any
additional remains.
Three square metres were excavated
at Locality 1. At least two major concentrations of fire-cracked rock
seemed apparent from the surface under the thin moss and lichen cover.
In test unit 2 a concentration of chert flakes was recovered from the
base of the humus along with some faunal remains and a few fire-cracked
rocks. Also found were a large quantity of seemingly friable sandstone
flakes. The recovery of a retouched tool fragment made from this raw
material argued for an anthropogenic origin of these flakes.
Test units 1,3 and 4 form a 1 m x 2 m unit which more or less bisects
an elongated hearth feature. On the hearth proper the sod was quite
thin (2-3 cm), while a humus level was virtually nonexistant;
elsewhere, the sod and humus comprised a 10-12 cm thick layer.
The hearth was made up of a basin-shaped deposit of ash, charcoal,
sand, innumerable small and large pieces of fire-cracked rock and both
calcined and fresh faunal remains. The fresh bone fragments tended to
be found along the perimeter of the hearth feature while the calcined
bones were exclusively derived from the hearth deposits. In the
southern portion of test unit 4 and part of test unit 1, calcined faunal
elements were recovered from a yellow sand which occurred below the
level of the obvious hearth. Very little was associated with this
second possibly older feature. Underlying both hearth features were
respective oxidized layers of sand. Artifacts associated with the more
recent occupation include four bone implements, all of which appear to
be piercing implements and chert flakes although the latter are
certainly not numerous. The faunal remains are dominated by those of
caribou but small mammal and fish are also present.
The
present vegetation cover of Locality 1 is a very open spruce lichen
forest. The clearing in which the Locality is situated may in fact be
an artifact of the most recent occupation since the arboreal cover on
either side of the Locality is much denser.
Excavations were conducted at this site in 1986.
Field No: 85JLP-28
Borden No: MlTj-4
Location:
Tenlen Lake
A surface scatter of faunal remains and a
large depression were observed on a high (12 m) west-facing terrace
located on the eastern tip of a large point in the west end of the lake.
The faunal remains were those of caribou and a closer inspection of the
area revealed additional bones and fire-cracked rocks protruding from
beneath the thin moss and lichen ground cover. Approximately 20 m north
along the terrace edge was a square depression (2 m x 2 m x 0.4 m).
A single test unit was opened in the area of the fire-cracked rock
and faunal remains. Time did not allow the completion of this square
metre; however, most of the cultural layer was excavated. Additional
quantities of mostly fresh caribou bones were recovered along with a
single Cornaline d'Allepo glass bead.
The arboreal
vegetation cover atop the terrace is an open spruce forest with willow
and birch. The view from the site area dominates the lower portion of
the large point and also allows examination of the lake on either side
of the point.
The site was revisited in 1987.
Field No: 85JLP-30
Borden No: MlTj-5
Location:
Tenlen Lake
Sparse remains were discovered on the
westernmost point on the south side of the narrows in the middle of
Tenlen Lake. A fairly well-defined series of three terraces were
tested. The lowermost, as well as the second, bore interesting evidence
of recent use, likely attributable to Mr.Albert Adams of Inuvik who
actively hunts and traps around Tenlen Lake. These included hearths,
faunal remains (bones and skin), wood caches, etc.
On the
highest terrace (3 m 50) two test units yielded archaeological remains.
In the one unit, numerous calcined bone fragments were found at the base
of the sod and into the underlying sandy humus. Underlying this humus
was a thin layer of oxidized sand in which some calcined bone was also
recovered. Finally a layer of sterile beige sand was encountered. A
few meters to the east two small test units produced two flakes and a
calcined bone fragment respectively from the base of the sod/humus. On
the middle terrace a chert flake was recovered from the sod/humus.
The vegetation cover on all three terraces is a very open
spruce-lichen forest.
Field No: 85JLP-34
Borden No: MkTi-10
Location:
Tenlen Lake
Two positive test units were excavated on
a high terrace (3.75) on the left side of the outlet of a small stream
which flows from lac au Goéland in the easternmost end of Tenlen
Lake. A first unit was excavated near a concentration of fire-cracked
rock visible on the surface. Other than the rocks, powdered calcined
bone was noted. A second unit located about 2 m away, contained
fire-cracked rock, calcined bone and a single chert flake. The
vegetation cover was a spruce-lichen forest with some clumps of willow
and dwarf birch.
On the lower terrace, approximately 75 m
south of the stream outlet, an overturned canoe was found. The planking
in the mid-section had been broken. The original exterior covering was
canvas, but this was absent except for small strips along the gunwales;
both nails and screws were used in the construction of the craft. A can
of Players' smoking tobacco found on the surface nearby suggests a
recent date.
Additional observations were made at this site in 1987.
Field No: 85JLP-35
Borden No: MkTi-11
Location:
Tenlen Lake
Across the stream outlet from 85JLP-34
(MkTi-10), fire-cracked rocks and a few calcined faunal remains were
observed eroding from the edge of the 3-4 m high terrace some 25-30 m
north of the stream; time precluded testing of this locality.
Field No: 85JLP-36
Borden No: MkTj-1
Location:
Tenlen Lake
A still serviceable
cabin was located in
a slight embayment on the north shore of the lake where the lakeshore
veers off to the northeast to form the eastern lobe of the lake. The
cabin is constructed of unshaped spruce logs with saddle notched corner
joints. The flat, sod-covered roof slopes from the front towards the
back of the structure. The single door is on the narrower, lake facing
side of the cabin with a window in each of the long side walls. The
internal dimensions of the cabin are 3 m x 4 m by 2 m high at the front.
The floor is 20-25 cm lower than the exterior ground surface. Ground
caches were located roughly 2 m from the structure on either side of the
cabin except the front. These are rectangular excavations with vertical
sides measuring 1.60 m x 1.10 m x 0.50 m, 1 m x 1.20 m x 0.50 m and
1.60 m x 1 m x 0.50 m respectively: branches used to cover the caches
were strewn about. Near the northeastern corner of the cabin, short
lengths of sawn branches and fist-sized rocks were found with cord still
attached to their mid-sections. These were contained in a cache
constructed of small spruce poles which had not had the small branches
removed. The notched corner poles of an
elevated cache structure stood
about 25 m away towards the lake. Wide tin bands had been nailed to
these midway up the poles, presumably to prevent small rodents from
gaining access to the cache and its contents. A delapitated
single-seating privy was located 20 m or so behind the cabin.
Artifacts which occurred both within and outside of the cabin suggest
quite recent occupation. In particular, a copy of MAD magazine No.154,
Oct.72. suggests the use of this cabin at least in the early part of the
last decade.
Field No: 85JLP-37
Borden No: MlTj-6
Location:
lac à la Truite
A single test unit, located
on a high terrace across from 85JLP-27(MlTj-3), at the mouth of the
stream emptying Tenlen Lake into lac à la Truite, yielded three
pieces of fire-cracked rock. Although the entire terrace near the
stream was tested, no other remains were found. The vegetation cover was
an open spruce forest with a thick carpeting of sphagnum moss. In the
positive unit, the rocks lay at the base of the moss and atop the basal
fine sand/silt.
Field No: 85JLP-38
Borden No: MlTk-2
Location:
lac à la Truite
An extensive area scattered
with the debris of recent occupations surrounded a log cabin on a
terrace located on the left bank of the source of the outlet stream
flowing north to lac à l'Aigle. Near the stream, on the crest of
the 7 m high ridge, both prehistoric and historic remains were
encountered. These included an historic ground cache still covered with
spruce poles and branches. In a nearby treefall, calcined bone,
fire-cracked rock and a few flakes were recovered.
The
cabin dimensions were 3.80 m x 4.10 m with the door located on the
narrower lake-facing side. The walls appear to have been constructed in
sections, with the ends of the unshaped logs nailed to vertical poles.
On raising the walls, the vertical poles were secured to interior corner
posts. Inside the cabin were various storage shelves, a bed, a table
(with both checker board and cribbage board drawn on), a stove made from
a 10 gallon drum and various discarded items of daily use. The graffiti
was prolific and indicates quite recent use in the late 1970s with the
earliest dated to 1966. In the same general area were a raised cache
with a gill net hanging from it and various pieces of caribou skin
laying about, two outdoor hearths, one equiped with a bench and a
flat-bottomed boat.
Extensive excavations were conducted at this site over the course of the
NOGAP Archaeology Project; 1986
, 1987 and
1991.
Field No: 85JLP-39
Borden No: MlTk-3
Location:
lac à la Truite
A ground cache was discovered
on a terrace on the north shore of the western end of the narrows
separating the western lobe from the main body of the lake. The
dimensions of this feature are 1.9 m x 2 m x 1 m in depth. A spruce tree
about 2.5 m tall was rooted in the bottom of the pit. A large log
remained from the apparent internal wall of the structure. A small test
unit adjacent to the cache yielded fire-cracked rock, calcined and fresh
bone and a flake. Another on the opposite side produced a single chert
flake. Within the pit, a strip of cut birch bark was observed eroding
from the top edge of the cache. The feature was located in a slight
clearing dominated by an open spruce-lichen forest.
Additional investigations were undertaken at this locality in
1986 and again in
1987.
Field No: 85JLP-42
Borden No: NaTq-1
Location:
Caribou Creek Park/Dempster Highway
Caribou Creek
Park is a small picnic and camping area located just off the Dempster
Highway at the point where it crosses Caribou Creek. The swift waters
of the stream have impinged upon the base of a high terrace and produced
a steep bluff which rises some 20-30 m above the stream. Along the edge
of the terrace, two flakes were found. The first was recovered from a
small test unit while the second was eroding from the thin sod.
Additional testing and examination of the bluff edge failed to yield any
other artifacts. The terrace top is quite flat and covered with an open
spruce-lichen forest.
Field No: 85JLP-44
Borden No: MlTk-4
Location:
lac à la Truite
Prehistoric remains were
found on a high (5 m) terrace located in a small embayment just west of
the narrows separating the western lobe from the main body of the lake
on the south side. The area which produced the archaeological remains
lies roughly half-way between the lake's edge and a small lake, some 100
m from lac à la Truite. A single test unit yielded remains which
included fire-cracked rock, calcined bone and four pieces of chert
debitage. These materials were contained in an organic sand level lying
under the thin sod and overlying a medium coarse sand and silt level.
The vegetation over the site area and down the slope towards lac
à la Truite is a spruce-lichen forest while, there is a marked
reduction in spruce tree cover toward the small lake. Instead, there is
a significant cover of brush species of willow and alder in that region.
Additional observations were made at this site in
1986 and again in
1991.
Field No: 85JLP-45
Borden No: MlTk-5
Location:
lac à l'Aigle
Two hearth areas were discovered
on a terrace system located at the south end of the lake, just east of
the stream entering the lake from lac à la Truite. A Wildlife
Service cabin is located in the middle of the terrace. The modern
structure is still occasionally used by fishermen as well as by
government wildlife personnel. A small concentration of fire-cracked
rock along with a fresh bone and some calcined fragments was found
roughly 46 m west of the cabin while 125 m to the east, a large
concentration of fire-cracked rock with associated bone was recorded.
Both features were found on the same long, wide terrace. Testing on the
well-defined upper terrace did not yield any evidence of past
occupation.
The vegetation cover over the whole area is a
very open spruce-lichen forest. As a result of the excellent drainage
of the sand terraces, the sod is quite thin and remains were found at
the base of the sod or slightly imbedded into the underlying yellow
sands.
Field No: 85JLP-53
Borden No: MgTj-1
Location:
Be Carefull Lake
A small
recent cabin was observed on
the south side of a small embayment in the northwest corner of the lake.
The internal dimensions of the cabin are roughly 2.5 m x 2.5 m x 1.5 m
high at the front. The walls are made of saddle-notched spruce logs.
The sloping roof of spruce poles was covered over with sod. The single
window faced the lake while the door faced north. A ground cache was
located 10-15 m from the front door. One end was squared while the
other was somewhat pointed (1.50 m x 1 m x 40 cm in depth); some sod
covered planks, presumably used to close the cache, and a moose rib were
found in the bottom of the cache. Recent debris was observed in a wide
radius around the cabin and included a small mammal skin stretcher and
moose skeletal elements. Inside the cabin we noted a 10 gallon drum
stove, stove piping, a wooden crate, poles suspended over the stove as a
drying rack and tin cans. On the interior side of the plywood door, an
inscription indicated an October 1965 construction date.
Field No: 85JLP-54
Borden No: MeTi-1
Location:
unnamed small lake to the northwest of Marion Lake
Historic
artifacts were discovered strewn about a point at the southwest
extremity of the lake, just above its westerly flowing outlet. Portions
of a few wooden boards were first observed and subsequent peeling back
of the sphagnum moss covering revealed a narrow sleigh or tobaggan
measuring approximately 2 m in length. It is constructed with wood
screws and nails. Nearby, lying imbedded in the moss was a steel
sleigh runner. A crushed tin stove lay 10 m from the sleigh. A test
unit near the stove produced rubber (boot?) fragments and a beaver
skull. Elsewhere on the point, a galvanized basin was found embedded in,
but not covered, by the sphagnum moss.
The arboreal
vegetation on the point was characterized by an open birch forest which
included some quite large trees. The understory was comprised of a
thick carpet of sphagnum moss and numerous wild rose bushes.
Field No: 85JLP-56
Borden No: MkTi-12
Location:
lac au Goéland
A hearth feature was discovered
on the edge and the gentle front slope of a terrace located at the
extreme northeastern extremity of a large lake adjacent to the western
shore of the north end of lac au Go{land. Fire-cracked rocks were first
observed in the roots of a fallen spruce tree and subsequent testing
revealed additional fire-cracked rock along with fish bone and powdered
calcined bone. These were contained in a thick (10 cm) organic sand
layer which underlay the thin (5 cm) moss carpet. Ten metres down the
slope from this hearth, a second concentration of fire-cracked rock was
discovered. Testing was not undertaken but the 1.50 m diameter of the
feature suggests some importance.
The vegetation cover of
the region is dominated by an open spruce-lichen forest.
Field No: 85JLP-57
Borden No: MkTm-13
Location:
Crossing Creek Lake
Structural remains of two tent
emplacements and a surface cache were recorded near the embouchure of
the Travaillant River as it enters Crossing Creek Lake. These were
located about 200 m from the river mouth on the west side of the lake.
The remains consist of two slight rectangular depressions easily
distinguishable by the change in vegetation within them, and the poles
which lined the walls. There may have been a spruce pole floor in one
of the structures. Nearby, a lard pail was found whose label still
advertised "Swift Silverleaf Brand Pure Lard".
About 50 m
away, in the direction of the river mouth, a cache had been constructed
which appears to have taken advantage of a slight gully or depression in
the ground surface. A low frame of large logs was made over which
smaller yet substantial logs were laid.
There are few
spruce trees in the general site area but rather numerous clumps of
brush willow and birch. Grasses, mosses and low shrubs form a dense
ground cover.
Field No: 85JLP-58
Borden No: MkTn-1
Location:
Point Lake
At the west end of Point Lake, a small
steam enters from the west which eventually leads to Sunny Lake. On the
south side of the stream mouth is a substantial, well-built, recent
cabin on a low terrace (2-3 m) belonging to a Mr. Timbrell from Inuvik.
Behind this cabin is a higher terrace (7 m). At a distance of 30-40 m
from the lake edge of the terrace and an equal distance from the stream
edge of the terrace, 4 closely spaced test units yielded a substantial
quantity of chert debitage and some cores. Only a single possible
fire-cracked rock was found. The material occurred at the base of the
thin sod/humus (3-5 cm) or in the top of the underlying reddened coarse
sand/gravel layer.
The vegetation atop the terrace is
fairly open with brush species and the occasional spruce tree. Mosses
and grasses along with low bushes form the understory.
Field No: 85JLP-59
Borden No: MkTn-2
Location:
Point Lake
A single test unit located 3-4 m north of
Mr.Timbrell's cabin on Point Lake contained a few calcined bone
fragments and a fire-cracked rock. However, proximity to the cabin and
ongoing use of the area precluded further testing.
Field No: 85JLP-60
Borden No: MkTn-3
Location:
Point Lake
On the south side of the outlet stream
draining the small lake lying between Sunny and Point Lakes is a marked
narrow ridge which rises toward the south from the surface of the 7-9 m
high terrace near the stream. On the lower end of this ridge a core of
coarse-grained quartzite with the few flakes removed from it along with
two split granitic cobbles were found on the surface. The specimens lay
within a small area (1 m) and had a recent appearance to the fracture
surfaces, especially those of the quartzite core and flakes. There is
no ground vegetation in the area where these were found, and so the
context cannot be properly evaluated.
Field No: 85JLP-66
Borden No: MkTn-4
Location:
Point Lake
The outlet stream for Point Lake is
situated at its northeastern extremity. Two separate localities north
of the outlet produced evidence of past human occupation. The first is
located on the north shore of the lake at its eastern extremity. Large
amounts of fire-cracked rock were observed among the roots of large
fallen spruce trees. At two spots, faunal remains were also recovered.
A large test unit near the edge of the low (2 m 25) terrace provided a
large sample of mostly fresh faunal remains. Also found were
fire-cracked rock and two chert flakes; these lay at the bottom of a
thick sphagnum layer (10-15 cm) which thinnned out toward the front
slope of the terrace; this moss lay over a coarse gravel layer. A
smaller test unit less than 2 m north yielded a single fresh bone below
25 cm of sphagnum.
A second locality was found on the
eastern shore, just north of the outlet stream. Here, numerous
concentrations of fire-cracked rock and a chert flake were located less
than two hours prior to the arrival of a floatplane and our move to Deep
Lake.
Field No: 85JLP-70
Borden No: MjTm-2
Location:
Deep Lake
The outlet stream for this lake is located
on its western side, at the end of a long embayment. Near the end of
this embayment, on the south shore a number of apparently fire-cracked
rocks were observed protruding through the thin moss and lichen sod of
the spruce-lichen forest. Testing in the vicinity of these did not
produce further evidence of human activity. Nearby, a chert flake and a
badly heat spalled pièce esquillée were recovered from a
tree fall. No other remains could be located.
Field No: 85JLP-72
Borden No: MjTm-3
Location:
Deep Lake
Still on the south shore of the deep
embayment at the western extremity of the lake, but nearer the opening
onto the lake is a high terrace atop which fire-cracked rock and sandy
hearth deposits were found under a thin moss and grass ground cover.
Calcined and fresh faunal remains were found which include muskrat.
This hearth feature is located within two metres of the edge of the
terrace.
The present vegetation on the site is an open
spruce-lichen forest.
Field No: 85JLP-74
Borden No: MjTm-4
Location:
Deep Lake
A recent hearth feature was observed on the
surface of a low terrace on the east side of the deep bay situated in
the southwest portion of Deep Lake. The few burned and charred pieces
of axe-cut firewood were surrounded by a number of tin cans which
included one of PAK (danish sliced bacon).
Field No: 85JLP-76
Borden No: NbTq-1
Location:
Campbell Lake/Dempster Highway
Mr. Fred Carmichael, manager of Antler Aviation,
informed us that Mr. Folmer Jensen of Inuvik had once found an arrowhead
in a sand pit near town. We asked if he could be contacted for
additional information on this location and the point. Mr. Jensen was
subsequently contacted by telephone and readily agreed to allow us to
view the specimen and to bring us to the spot where he had found it.
The sand pit is still actively being quarried for its fine
sand. It is located just off the Dempster Highway about 15 miles outside
of town near the centre of Campbell Lake. The site was on one of three
lobate terraces which may be palaeo-deltaic features. This terrace is
virtually completely destroyed. A thorough inspection was conducted of
the extant portions of the terrace, but nothing was found.
Field No: 85JLP-77
Borden No: NbTq-2
Location:
Campbell Lake/Dempster Highway
A single chert flake
was recovered from a small test unit located on a terrace immediately
south of 85JLP-76 (NbTq-1). In fact, these terraces join further toward
the highway. This intact terrace was intensively tested.
We returned to this locality in 1992.
Field No: 85JLP-78
Borden No: NbTq-3
Location:
Campbell Lake/Dempster Highway
A single chert flake
was found in a small test unit located on an elongated, narrow ridge
adjacent to 85JLP-76 (NbTq-1). The two localities are separated by only
50-75 m and join further toward the highway. In spite of intensive
testing, no additional remains were found.
Additional work was conducted at this site in 1992.
