1985 Field Report
(Part 3)
by
Jean-Luc Pilon
NOGAP Archaeologist
Canadian Museum of Civilization

Summary and Discussion

At this juncture it is premature to expect to be able to advance meaningful statements from the available data. Indeed, the recoveries from a number of sites are so limited and of such a non-descript character that it is virtually impossible to situate most of the prehistoric sites chronologially or culturally. However, some observations can be made, which, in spite of their highly speculative and tenuous nature, can help orient future research.

As described earlier, no contextual information is available for NbTq-1. Indeed, there may not have been much of a site there in the first place. The small, concave based, lanceolate point has no really good analogues in the published literature although it bears some resemblance to a point found at the Franklin Tanks site on Great Bear Lake (MacNeish 1953, plate II, no.4). The specimen from NbTq-1 has parallel, oblique flake scars on one face but the opposite face has only scalar retouch. The basal concavity is the result of a single deep flake scar and no further modification is evident. The distal tip is squared with flake scars emanating from the tip onto both faces. Thus the base and tip may be markedly reworked from their original condition. Although poorly known from this region, it seems reasonable to exclude a late prehistoric attribution. Some of the general features appear possibly derived from a middle prehistoric technological base but this construct is very inadequately described and understood at present (Morrison 1985).

A second site about which speculations concerning cultural and temporal relations are possible is MlTj-3. Here a number of pieces of worked bone/antler were found in close proximity to a large hearth feature. One of these implements appears to be some kind of awl with a rectangular cross-section and a square knob at its proximal end. It is quite similar to implements from Rat Indian Creek in the interior Northern Yukon (LeBlanc 1984). Also found were fragments of a thin schist (?) tablet, marginally retouched around its periphery. Similar tools were recovered from MlTj-2 and MkTi-9. Although not exclusive to the late prehistoric period, such marginally retouched spalls and tablets are certainly more prevalent in this time period.

Linear flakes were recovered from three sites. Those found at MlTj-3 are quite large and both appear to have been removed from the corners of tabular or blocky cores. However the two specimens from MkTn-1 and the single example from MlTk-4 could easily be lost in the Whirl Lake microblade collection. Microblade cores are absent from these two sites, and it is quite possible that the flakes represent nothing more than the fortuitous production of elongated flakes. However, the relative proximity of Whirl Lake and the limited nature of the samples argue for retention of the possibility that these components could relate to the Whirl Lake lower component (Gordon and Savage 1973).

Finally, the mere fact that fresh, non-calcined faunal remains were recovered from some sites, suggests that these cannot be much older than a few centuries. Without ruling out the possibility of greater antiquity, it is felt that most of the prehistoric sites discovered this summer relate to late prehistoric cultural manifestations.

Detailed analysis of the faunal remains has not yet been undertaken. Nonetheless, observations made in the field as these collections were being recovered and in the laboratory as they were cleaned and catalogued indicates that there is a preponderance of caribou remains in the faunal collections of all prehistoric and historic components. Moose seems to be more clearly associated with more recent occupations. Small mammal and avian specimens are quite limited. Fish remains were noted as a number of sites but are not present in any large numbers. In spite of these unquantified statements, it seems clear that caribou is the key resource being exploited in prehistoric times as well as during the more recent historic period. Discussions with Mr. Albert Adams of Inuvik, who presently hunts and traps in the Tenlen Lake area, indicate that it is a prime wintering ground for caribou. We had indeed surmised such a situation by the numerous evidence of caribou that we observed, such as antler and droppings. The open spruce lichen forests are excellent sources of ground lichens. Mute testimony to modern caribou densities are provided by Mr.Adams who supplies Ulu Foods of Inuvik with some of the caribou that they sell. In December, over a 15 day period, Mr.Adams managed to fill 7 or 8 Twin Otters with butchered caribou carcasses. Near the beach in front of his cabins, a large raised platform is heaped with the bleached antlers from these animals. Thus, the preliminary findings indicate that this pattern of usage of the area by caribou has a significant time depth.

Most of the sites found this summer were only tested with units usually smaller than 50 cm x 50 cm. When more extensive units were excavated, as was the case at MkTi-9, MlTj-2, and MlTj-3, it was found that cultural remains were thinly distributed over a wide area while often centered on specific points, namely hearth features. Most sites in the Tenlen Lake area appear to conform to this situation.

With the exception of MkTn-1, most of the prehistoric or presumed prehistoric sites include concentrations of fire-cracked rocks usually in association with hearth deposits and calcined faunal remains and the occasional piece of lithic detritus and even more rarely, a stone tool. The hearths indicate more than just overnight camps. The testing clearly shows that adequate and meaningful recoveries can only be obtained through extensive excavations. This pattern appears to be the norm and attempts must be made to understand it. Such a spartan reality should be seen as one of the parameters that must be dealt with in attempting to work out the culture-history of this area. These observations are corroborated by surveys conducted in the same general area by Cinq-Mars (1974) and Morrison (1984). There may very well be some large rich sites with temporal depths extending several centuries, somewhere in the area. Yet the significant number of smaller, likely single event sites may well be a truer reflection of the cultural responses over time to the environmental conditions and resource availability of this region and as such warrant further attention.