1991 Field Report
(Part
4)
by
Jean-Luc Pilon
NOGAP Archaeologist
Canadian Museum of Civilization
- Mackenzie River
Following the survey of Andrew Lake, we descended the
Travaillant River to its mouth at the Mackenzie River. This trip
took 2 days to complete (July 6 and 7). The first part of the trip
involved descending the river to the mouth of a small stream which
enters from the east and leads to Wolverine Lake. Although much
swift water was encountered, there were no rapids per se. The
second half of the trip was a near-continuous stretch of swift
water with numerous obstacles (large rocks, swift shallows and
fallen trees), but again, no real rapids.
We established our camp on the west side of the mouth of the
Travaillant River. From here we investigated a number
of localities in the vicinity over the course of the next 2 days
(July 8 and 9). Our camp was relocated to the mouth of Tree River
on the 10th of July and moved again on July 13 to the mouth of
Pierre's Creek. Our final camp before returning to Inuvik in the
early morning hours of the 17th was about 3 kilometres up the
Rengleng River on the 15th of July.
The information gathered during the course of this survey, along with
observations made in 1986 by the author and in
1993 by Luc Nolin, contributed substantially
to a discussion of the archaeological
potential along the lower Mackenzie Valley.
Field No: 91JLP-29
Borden No: MiTk-1
Riverine terraces occur at the mouths of virtually all the
rivers, streams and creeks which enter the Mackenzie River. Beyond
these zones, the land adjacent to the Mackenzie tends to consist of
a flat or slightly rolling terrain or plateau which dominates the
river by up to 250 feet, at the top of steep bluffs. Once again,
the 1986 forest fire (Fire EV019) burned through a large area in
the vicinity of the mouth of the Travaillant River and has resulted
in the destabilization of the bluffs and an acceleration of erosion
(Harry and MacInnes 1988)
A caribou metatarsal and a metal "Eley" cap or primer can were
found eroding from the edge of the plateau roughly 300 metres west
of the mouth of the Travaillant River. This area is
also immediately east of a slight draw or gully which cuts into the
plateau edge. Elsewhere in the general vicinity, fresh appearing
caribou bone was noted, although none formed any distinct or even
suggestive concentrations. Also in the same area, but somewhat
removed from the eroding bluff edge, 2 large flat stones lay in the
sod within a slight a flattened area. These immediately reminded
us of anvil stones, but an intensive search for any evidence of
human activity proved fruitless. Axe-cut stumps were noted in the
general vicinity as well as a single adze-cut stump.
Field No: 91JLP-30
Borden No: MiTk-2
This site is located on a slight terrace just below the top of
the Mackenzie River bluff, immediately west of the terrace complex
on the west side of the mouth of the Travaillant River.
A narrow trail leads from the lower terrace complex up a ridge to
this narrow and crevassed bench. These crevasses suggest that the
section of the Mackenzie River bluff in front of the site is slowly
sliding downward. The immediate site area was not recently burned
over.
The site consists of a number of distinct features, all
located within metres of each other. At the most westerly
extremity of the flat clearing, a rectangular
depression, oriented
parallel to the bluff edge, was noted. Its internal measurements
were 3 m x 1.5 m x 0.35 m deep. The walls of the depression are
still quite vertical. Although lateral berms are apparent, the
delimitation of these is confused by a frost crack or slump
crevasse which runs through the feature. A test pit placed at the
top of the east end of the depression revealed 10-15 cm of silt and
sand under the modern vegetation. This sand and silt layer in turn
overlay a buried sod level. This sod level contained a complete
goose humerus and a small unidentified bone fragment. A test pit
placed within the depression only encountered a hard packed, grey
clayey silt under the vegetation layer.
About four metres east
of this depression, along the edge of
a frost crack or slump crevasse, a wood inlaid
brass crucifix was
recovered from the vegetation layer. This religious item is of the
size apparently used by Oblat Brothers which is smaller than those
used by the Fathers (Sister Matte, Arctic Red River Mission,
personal communication 1991). It was found three metres from a
slight levelled area which probably served as a tent emplacement in
recent times. It measured approximately 3 metres square. Within
the centre of this slight depression which was perhaps 10-15 cm
deep at the west end and level with the undisturbed ground level at
the east end, a large flat stone--possibly used as an anvil for
pounding dried meat or fish--and a homemade
ice scoop were found.
The ice scoop consisted of a round and slightly concave piece of
metal cut from a metal drum and nailed to a short wooden handle.
According to Willie Simon Modeste, such items were used when
setting muskrat traps in the spring under the ice. A possible
ground cache was noted about four metres to the NW of the tent
emplacement. It lacked any visible berm and measured one metre in
diameter and was 25 cm in depth.
A grave marker was noted still standing about 5 metres
southwest of the possible tent emplcement. It consisted of an
upright piece of dressed wood with its upper end tapered to a
point. It measured approximately 40-50 cm in length above ground
level, 5-7 cm in width and 2 cm in thickness. Two additional
pieces of dressed wood, of which one piece had both extremities
tapered to points, lay on the ground less than 40 cm away. Wire
cut nails were found in the middle of the tapered piece. Lastly,
four large flat stones were observed on the ground surface, in
front of the grave marker.
The grave is on an inclined surface which may have formerly
been part of the bench on which the majority of the site still
sits. However, immediately behind the grave marker, i.e. to the
north, a major slump crevasse separates the two zones.
Three metres
east of the grave, along the edge of the slump
crevasse, a hearth feature was located from which faunal remains
were collected. These included both large and small mammal as well
as fish remains. Interestingly, this hearth, which is easily
visible as a thick lense of yellow silt, lies under a sod layer
(5-7 cm) which in turn is overlain by a layer of grey silt (5-7 cm)
and the modern vegetation level. The source of the silt overburden
cannot be determined, although it could relate to the
clearing of the tent emplacement nearby.
This site includes one last area where archaeological remains
were recovered. Proceeding northwest from the semi-subterranean
feature, the ground surface consists of a deeply crevassed ridge
which rises eventually to the plateau. Some five to seven metres
to northwest a number of large mammal bone fragments were found
jutting out from the sod along one of these deep trenches.
The relationship between all of the above-described
archaeological remains cannot be even guessed at. One certainty is
that there seems to have been a remarkable amount of activity in
this very restricted and elevated area.
Field No: 91JLP-31
Borden No: MiTk-3
West from 91JLP-30, major slumping has occurred as a result of
destabilization due to the 1986 forest fire. Consequently, the
Mackenzie River bluff does not simply rise steeply to the plateau,
but presents a complex series of convoluted, disaggregated remnants
of the plateau edge or high benches scattered down from the new
plateau edge.
Approximately 100 metres
west of 91JLP-30, on the edge of one
of these former bench or plateau sections which is presently
sliding down towards the Mackenzie River, a still standing dressed
wooden cross was noted. Closer inspection revealed not
only the grave marker, but also portions of the interred
individual's skeletal remains eroding from
the hummock.
The grave marker was found closest to the Mackenzie River and
the human skeletal remains occurred perhaps 2 metres north, or in
the direction of the plateau.
The grave marker was in relatively good
condition although it
appeared to be maintained in its vertical position by the fact that
it was leaning slightly backwards against the hummock. The boards
used in its manufacture measured approximately 5-7 cm in width and
perhaps 1.5 cm in thickness. The top of the vertical member was
broken away and its original termination could not be determined.
However, the ends of the cross-piece were tapered and we might
assume the vertical one was as well.
The cross-piece measured approximately 60 cm in length and the
total height of the extant portion of the vertical was of similar
length. The cross-piece was located about 30 cm from the ground
surface.
The cross-piece was simply nailed to the vertical member with
four short square-headed nails which did
not penetrate to the
obverse face. The upper two nails were of brass while the two
bottom nails were of a ferrous metal.
The visible skeletal
remains consisted of the individual's skull, mandible and at least
4 cervical vertebrae. Dr. J.Cybulski, physical anthropologist at
the Archaeological Survey of Canada, Canadian Museum of
Civilization, examined slides of these remains and estimates the
individual to have been about 3 years old at the time of death.
This estimate is derived from the eruption pattern of the deciduous
teeth, the condition of the cranial sutures and the fact that the
epiphyses of the vertebrae were not yet fused. The remains were
left as found.
Field No: 91JLP-32
Borden No: MiTk-4
On the west side of the
mouth of the Travaillant River is a
series of at least two river terraces upon which Mr. George Hurst
had a complex of building during the 1940's and 1950's.
This group of log buildings included not only a princiapl
residence, but also various special purpose buildings such as a
fish house, a smoke house, a power house, an ice house, etc. Mr.
Hurst apparently sold his cabins to Mr. Cliff Hagen in the 1950's.
This is the group of buildings noted on the 1:50,000 map (106O-6)
of the area and identified as a "Trading Post".
We noted at least 5 building foundations, of which one still
had a well-preserved cold-storage cellar; essentially, a deep,
wood-lined hole with a wood cover. These buildings were on a
slightly higher terrace and former a semi-circle above the garden
area. From the garden, an overgrown road led down to the active
beach area.
A number of shovel test pits were excavated in the vicinity of
the building foundations. Although material was found, none was
collected since it occurred in the modern sod level and more than
likely relates to the mid-twentieth century occupation. Shovel
test pits were also placed within the garden area. There a series
of buried sod layers were separated by thick silt levels, evidently
layed down during particularly extensive spring flooding. Test
pits were dug to depths of nearly one metre and the succession of
buried sod levels showed no signs of ending.
The uppermost level had been worked and reworked many times
during the active use of the garden. Apparently Mr. Hurst owned a
tractor which greatly aided in the tilling process. As a result,
the upper 30 cm or so lacked the caracteristic layering and
consisted of a homogeneous grey, silty deposit. In one test pit,
placed near the rise to the active bluff edge, a single siliceous
argillite flake and a fish bone were found in this plow zone.
Field No: 91JLP-33
Borden No: MiTk-5
A major mid-twentieth
century trading establishment was
located on the terraces on the east side of the mouth of the
Travaillant River. This is the "Trading Post" marked
on the 1:250,000 topographic map of the area (106O). Mr. Willie
Simon Modeste related how this complex of buildings was constructed
by Mr. Bill McNealy and served as a trading post in the
1940-1950's. It consisted of the foundations of at least 6
buildings. These included a principal residence, a smoke house, a
store, a fish house, a power plant house, and a greenhouse. Like
Mr. Hurst's establishment, these buildings were located on a
slightly higher elevation, in a semi-circle up against the foot of
the steep slope leading up to the plateau. A second residential
cabin was located slightly up river from this complex of buildings
and Mr. Willie Simon Modeste believes this was the home of "Old
Moses".
An extensive garden was located in front of the semi-circle of
buildings. Apparently, in addition to his trading business, Mr.
McNealy also grew sufficient quantities of vegetables to supply the
missions of the lower Mackenzie; potatoes, turnips, cabbages,
carrots, etc. The garden also extended up the Travaillant for
perhaps 200 metres on roughly the same terrace as the garden in
front of the buildings. Just off the road leading to the garden
extension, which can still be followed fairly easily, the remains
of a large wooden boat were found, as well as the foundation of an
unidentified cabin, perhaps some kind of tool shed.
Shovel test pits were excavated in the general vicinity of the
cabins, but again it appears that the historic occupation has
blurred any older evidence of occupation. The stratigraphic
sequence was quite similar to that noted on the west side of the
mouth of the Travaillant River. However, two test pits placed near
the edge of the terrace which overlooked the Mackenzie River
yielded siliceous argillite flakes and faunal remains in direct
association with wire-cut nails, bits of glass and painted canoe
canvas. Many of the flakes were in fact standing on edge and
suggest that again we were dealing with a site disturbed as a
result of either plowing of the garden or even the use of a D-2 CAT
which Mr. McNealy also had on this site.
Lastly, a sled trail which apparently leads from the McNealy
trading post to the Thunder River area following the top of the
Mackenzie River bluff, was still visible immediately north of
91JLP-34 and ended just behind McNealy's camp.
Field No: 91JLP-34
Borden No: MiTk-6
This site consists of a mid-twentieth century burial located
northeast of 91JLP-33 on the edge of the plateau. The
trail which leads to McNealy's trading post passes just to the
north of this burial.
The burial consists of a grave marker
and a fenced-in
enclosure presumably surrounding the actual grave. The marker is
a large wooden cross made of poles with decorated extremities. The
horizontal cross-piece is notched into the vertical and fastened
with nails. It stands approximately 170-190 cm above the ground
level. The cross was placed on the outside of the east end of the
E-W oriented grave enclosure. This enclosure consists vertical
members nailed to an upper and a lower cross-piece. The
cross-pieces are then nailed together at the corners. The vertical
fence elements are made from boards and their extremities are cut
out into shape similar to the extremities of the cross. They are
approximately half the height of the grave marker.
This grave is believed to be the resting place of Yeson Tcho
or Big Hyacinthe, thought to have passed away sometime in the early
to middle part of this century (Willie Simon Modeste, personal
communication).
Field No: 91JLP-35
Borden No: MiTl-1
In general, the north bank of the Mackenzie River below the
mouth of the Travaillant River is characterized by fairly steep and
high bluffs. Thus, access to the interior plateau can only be
gained at river and stream mouths or at some of the numerous draws
or gullies which are found at regular intervals.
While descending the
Mackenzie from the mouth of the
Travaillant River, we stopped at one such draw on the north side of
the river which Mr. Willie Simon Modeste believes may be the one
referred to locally as "Sucker Lake Portage". This was
apparently one of the routes used during dog sled travel to move
between Sucker and Big Lakes, and the Mackenzie River. The gully
reaches gradually to the interior and presents less of a barrier
for inland penetration. The draw leads to a chain of small lakes
and eventually to Sucker Lake.
Although we could not locate any evidence of a trail (we may
have identified the wrong draw!!), fire-cracked rocks were found at
the plateau edge on the east side of the gully, overlooking the
Mackenzie River. These rocks, clearly fractured in the pattern
characteristic of repeated heating and rapid cooling, were exposed
as a result of the 1986 forest fire. In the site vicinity, the
land surface is deeply crevassed in a dendritic pattern. The
fire-cracked rocks occurred in an area of 4 metres in diametre at
the top of the 250 foot high bluff. Other finds were 2 possible
flakes.
Field No: 91JLP-36
Borden No: MhTm-1
Benoit's Creek is a modest stream draining a small area on the
south side of the Mackenzie River. In spite of its low
volume, it has cut a broad valley into the plateau and extends for
about 5 km to the south. At its mouth, the valley is deflected
slightly to the upstream direction and as a result, the point of
juncture of the Mackenzie River bluff and the valley wall of
Benoit's Creek is characterized on the west side of the creek mouth
by a razor-back ridge joining the plateau and the valley bottom.
At the top of this ridge, on the plateau edge, a
1922 Dominion
Lands Surveys marker was found (pin number 78). Radiating out from
this brass marker were three 3 foot square pits located at about 6
feet from the pin and placed at 120 degree angles. This pattern is
the same as that found in 1986 at MhTn-2 (86JLP-20) where pin
number 81 was found.
Approximately 10 metres to the south of this survey marker, a
possible cabin foundation was observed. It consisted of a square
levelled area within which 2 large mammal longbone fragments were
found in the sod. Permafrost prevented further testing.
Field No: 91JLP-37
Borden No: MhTn-4
A pre-contact
style of burial platform was discovered at the
mouth of a small draw across from 86JLP-20 (MhTn-2). This is
almost certainly the burial platform which Mr. Hyacinthe André of
Arctic Red River had described seeing when he was a young man
perhaps 50-60 years ago. At that time, he claimed to have seen
stone axes under the platform.
Our discovery of this site was quite accidental. We stopped
at this draw in order to set up our radio on the Mackenzie River
bluff on the west side of the gully mouth to communicate with our
crew at Vidiitshuu. The partially collapsed platform was located
about 15 metres behind the razor-back ridge which links the plateau
to the valley floor at the bluff face. It is on the slope of the
valley wall just below the plateau edge.
The rear (west or uphill end) of the
platform has collapsed
forward and elements of the now-collapsed support were noted under
the middle portion of the platform. The front remains
elevated. The vertical support poles
are 60 cm apart and the
cross-piece (maintained in its horizontal position by wedges on one
of the poles and by a marked shoulder on the other) is at a height
of 1.10 metres above the ground surface. The
ends of this cross
piece appear to have been worked with a metal axe and have what
seem to be red ochre thumb prints or markings on them.
At least five large logs rest directly upon the cross-member
and appear to have formed the actual platform. Smaller poles,
presumably placed as a covering over the human remains measured at
least 1.80 metres in length. While the large logs extend well over
the cross piece, the smaller poles appear to have slid backwards,
i.e. towards the hill, when the rear cross piece collapsed.
The only visible skeletal remains was the individual's cranium
which was lying imbedded in the thick moss in front of the standing
vertical posts. This skull was photographed and left in place.
Similarly, no effort was made to distrubed the grave site in order
to verify the presence of any stone axe (s).
Slides of the structure and the skull were shown to Dr. J.
Cybulski, physical anthropologist at the Archaeological Survey of
Canada, Canadian Museum of Civilization. Judging from the tooth
eruption pattern, the visible use wear of these and the condition
of the cranial sutures, Dr. Cybulski estimates the individual to
have been between 20 and 35 years of age at the time of death.
Field No: 91JLP-38
Borden No: MhTn-5
During an unsuccessful ascent of Tree River, we examined a
ridge leading to the plateau from the river. This
location is on the west side of Tree River, just before the 8th
bend in the river from the Mackenzie, or approximately 4 kilometres
from the Mackenzie River.
The remains of an expedient, short-term shelter were found at
the top of the ridge. This consisted of 3 or 4 small spruce trees
with remains of branches still attached. Five small fish bones
were found in the sod of a test pit placed in front of these poles.
Field No: 91JLP-39
Borden No: MhTo-2
The remains of an elevated terrace were examined which are
located approximately 1.5 kilometres east of the mouth of the
Rabbit Hay River. The terrace is quite narrow and
slopes towards the north, and is truncated on its south margin by
an active erosion face. Stratigraphy along the eroding face
suggests that this terrace was high enough to have escaped
Mackenzie River floods.
Three separate find spots were identified, beginning at the
highest point on the ridge which occurs at its eastern end.
- Area A
The ground surface is quite hummocky and crevassed as a result
of forest fire activity. Two large coarse-grained flakes and one
chert flake were found on the slope. The remains of a hearth
feature with large mammal remains and a single flake were found
just above the eroding edge. Charred axe-cut stumps were noted in
the general vicinity.
Area B
Approximately 50 metres west of Area A, the top of the ridge
broadens and the slope on the north side becomes gentler. The
elevation of the ridge is also somewhat lower than that of Area A.
A cluster of fire-cracked rock was found imbedded in the fine sand
which underlay the thin sod. Associated with these rocks was a
large siliceous argillite flake and some calcined bird or small
mammal bone.
Area C
About 50-75 metres still further west, proximity to a hearth
feature was indicated near the crest of the eroding river bluff.
A hammerstone and mostly primary chert debitage were recovered from
within a concentration of fire-cracked rock and what appeared to be
ash.
Field No: 91JLP-41
Borden No: MhTo-3
This site was the principal camp where the documentary "Summer
of the Loucheux" was filmed in 1979. It is located on
the north side of a bend in the Mackenzie River which causes an
eddy directly in front of the site. Thus, although there are no
otherwise attractive features to this particular locality such as
a stream mouth or a major draw cutting down from the plateau, a
major fishery has existed here for some as yet undefined time.
The site consists of
three major loci. The lowest is the
terrace in the small draw at the point itself. It is here that
Hyacinthe and Alestine André set up their camp when fishing and
making dry fish. In fact, Alestine André and her sister Agnes
Mitchell returned here this summer to continue this activity.
Immediately to the east of this draw is a ridge running parallel to
the Mackenzie River with at least 3 distinct benches. The first is
reached by climbing a steep bluff from the Mackenzie River or from
the draw. A rectangular semi-subterranean feature measuring 4.5 m
x 2.5 m x 1 m was found where the river and draw bluffs intersect
(for the purpose of relocating this feature, the structure lies
just south of a navigation beacon on this bench). No berms were
visible. A test pit placed within the depression yielded 2 charred
poles lying in a sod level separated from the modern sod by 5 cm of
gravelly sand. These poles were oriented parallel to the long axis
of the depression which in turn paralleled the Mackenzie River.
A much smaller depression measuring about 1.5 m x 1 m x 0.3 m
was noted 8 paces to the northeast. Spruce branches were found in
the thick sod of the interior.
What is presumed to be an historic burial feature was found at the crest
of the
Mackenzie River bluff, about 10 metres east of the large
semi-subterranean structure. The feature was completely collapsed
and beginning to slide down the bluff. The
elements of a cross
grave marker were noted as well as a jumble of short, sharpened
poles which may have been parts of a fenced enclosure. No skeletal
remains were seen. Alternately, the cross may be simply a religious icon
raised on this prominence to inspire river travellers.
Two large longbone fragments, possibly
from a young bear, were
noted on the crest of the 2nd bench located some 20 metres from the
burial, at the top of a moderately steep slope. Further east, on
the crest of the third bench, a single piece of debitage was
found.
Field No: 91JLP-43
Borden No: MhTq-2
The north side of the
mouth of Pierre's Creek is marked by a
point which juts out slightly into the Mackenzie River and thus
deflects some of the potentially destructive energy of spring
floods, away from the south side of the stream mouth.
A fairly steep bluff rises directly to the edge of the
plateau with but one narrow and actively eroding bench cut into it
about half way up to the plateau. A single black chert flake and
a fire-cracked rock were found about 2 metres below the terrace.
This bench as well as the upper plateau edge have been deeply
crevassed by slumping.
Field No: 91JLP-44
Borden No: MkTs-1
Mr. Willie Simon Modeste knew of the location of an early to
mid-twentieth century trading establishment below the mouth of the
Rengleng River. Although we managed to locate a number
of cabin foundations, the lushness of the vegetation had covered
these with thick moss and only a careful examination of the surface
could yield positive results. This is very surprising given the
recent age of this site. The only artifacts found were large metal
containers (drums, boxes and cans) along with axe and saw-cut
stumps.
This was the author's first experience in a truly "Mackenzie
Delta" environment. The marked difference between it and the
southwest Anderson Plain cannot be exagerated or minimized. In a
word, it was remarkable and would certainly present a challenge to
work in.
