1990 Field Report
(Part 4)
by
Jean-Luc Pilon
NOGAP Archaeologist
Canadian Museum of Civilization

Field No: 88JLP-1
Borden No: NbTj-11

During a fishing expedition at the mouth of the nearby creek, this small site was revisited. Intensive examination of the area surrounding the shovel tested hearth feature identified in 1988 yielded additional lithic discoveries. A long, narrow siliceous argillite scraper was found eroding from the edge of a caribou path which runs down the centre of the terrace. Further shovel testing in the same area yielded 15 pieces of siliceous argillite debitage and a utilized/retouched white chert flake.

Site Name: Vihtr'iitshik
Borden No: MiTi-1

Although very little time could be spent at the mouth of the Thunder River (Vihtr'iitshik), it was sufficient to address a major concern which remained since our first examination of this locality in 1988. In particular, what was the nature of the red and yellow coloured banks that had been noted at that time as well as much earlier by Alexander Mackenzie (Mackenzie 1927:203; Pilon 1990).

This aim was quickly achieved by examining the vertical rock cliff on the Mackenzie River less than 50 m from the mouth of the Thunder River. It was found that where run-off water dripped down the face of the rock, a yellow crust seemed to cover the stone face. Closer inspection revealed that this thin coating consists of a yellow powder whose appearance, texture, colour and smell are similar to sulphur. In some spots, where slight overhangs were present, convoluted masses of powdered sulphur occurred.

0n the east bank of the Thunder River, in the second major bend up from the Mackenzie, the river meander swings in very close to the steep valley wall. At this point, the entire slope is a bright red colour. Upon examination it became clear that this appearance was the result of the fragmentation, into a range of sizes, of a shale-like stone which apparently had turned bright red colour following exposure to fire. The pieces of reddened shale ranged from palm sized to the size of coarse sand. The area covered by this particular red slope was approximately 20 m wide and virtually the full height of the bank, somewhere on the order of 20-30 metres.

During our brief 2 hour stay at the site we re-examined the site above the cliff in order to better appreciate the extent of the workshop. A few additiona artifacts were collected; some bifaces and blades. It was noted that the historic grave which occurs on the highest terrace was placed in the centre of a dense lithic scatter. Interestingly, the 1986 forest fire did not even singe the wooden grave marker.

Field No: 87JLP-9
Borden No: NbTk-1

Structure No.2
The purpose of returning to NbTk-1, initially discovered in 1987, was to verify the proposition that Structure No.2 dated to historic times, or at least to a period when the builders of that semi-subterranean structure had access to metal axes. This suggestion stemmed from the observation that the ends of two of the roof poles associated with this structure appeared to have been cut with metal implements. Their diameters were on the order of 10-15 cm and the ends terminated in sharp bevels.

A grid system was established over the structure using the centre of the depression as a north-south axis. Two 2 m x 2 m units were established at the south end of the structure so as to encompass part of the possible entrance and a portion of the berm and area adjacent to the depression along a side.

The results of this work were not conclusive. The stratigraphic succession paralleled that found in other semi-subterranean structures, thus confirming that this feature was indeed a collapsed house structure. However, not a single artifact was found, be it stone, bone or oxidized sand stain!!!

A quick shovel test pit placed within the depression toward the north end of the feature revealed the following cabins in the process of collapsing, three much older cabin foundations, winter three-sided overnight brush shelters, levelled area on gentle slopes where canvass tents were set into, a possible smoke house, and the remains of a collapsed sod house or conical tent frame. All these remains are in addition to the 4 semi-subterranean structures described in 1987 (Pilon 1988).