Compte rendu 1993(Luc Nolin)-2

1993 Field Report
(Part 2)
by
Luc Nolin
NOGAP Archaeologist
Canadian Museum of Civilization

c) Revisited Site

MhTq-1: Situated at the embouchure of Pierre's Creek which is called in Gwich'in Chii chyah tshik (the mouth of Chii chya van)(Andre & Kritsch 1992:45), this site is an important fishing location for the community of Tsiigehtchic. It was first recorded during J.-L. Pilon's survey in 1986 (Pilon 1987). During his reconnaissance, Pilon noted the presence of an old log cabin on the 10-12 m lower terrace, converted into a smokehouse, on the west side of Pierre's Creek. The remains of an older cabin were also noted along with hearth remains, a possible stone anvil and a outhouse, outside of the standing cabin (Pilon 1987: 89). In 1991, Pilon revisited another area of the site and lithics artifacts (2 complete chert bifaces, a core fragments and debitage), and faunal remains were found on the gravel beach in an ice scour, located approximatively 15 m west from the embouchure of Pierre's Creek (Pilon 1992:78). We called this area of the site MhTq-1b to distinguish the archaeological remains found near the log cabin (MhTq-1a). One test pit, at 2 metres from the ice scour, revealed the remains of a basin- shaped hearth feature containing calcined bones, and large quantities of charcoal between approximatively 25-40 cm b.s. For Pilon, this was "clearly indicating the possibility that active beaches along the Mackenzie River may still retain evidence of prehistoric and early historic use" (Ibid., p. 80). Wood charcoal from the hearth feature was radiocarbon dated at less than 100 years BP. Pilon "was anticipated that the hearth feature would date the lithic collection although no artifacts were actually associated with the hearth" (Nolin 1994:219). The archaeologist assigned this result to more recent activities in locality or of the dynamic set of the depositional circumstances which led to contamination (Ibid., p. 219).

In June 1993 we decided to return at Pierre's Creek to better assess the potential of the site by digging more test pits. We first went back on the 10-12 m terrace near the old log cabin (MhTq-1a) were a complex stratigraphy was noted in 1991. Four test units were excavated. In test units #1, 2, and 3, between 15-20 cm below surface, relatively recent historic artifacts (ą50 years old) were found. We believe they represent the remains of the older cabin mentioned by Pilon (Pilon 1987:89). The artifacts comprised of: .25-35, .30-30 and .22 cartriges, 16 gauge shotgun shells, a file, pieces of white glazed ceramics, cut wire nails, a butter knife, various tins cans fragments, a bolt, pieces of alsphalt shingles, a door latch plate, fish and mammal calcined and uncalcined bones, clear glass bottle fragments, three glass seed beads, a piece of cast-iron wooden stove, pieces of wood, etc. In test unit #2, axe-cut wooden stakes (ą8cm in diameter) were also recorded and they probably represents an exterior structure, such as a smoking fish stand, etc. Under a third buried humus, in test unit #3, similar relatively recent historic material were excavated in association with a portion of an 4 cm thick hearth made of fire-reddened soil, charcoal, calcined and uncalcined bones, between 25-29 cm b.s.

Eight distinct layers of buried humus were identified in test unit #2. The following is a summary of the archaeological remains found through the 1.5 x 1.0 m test unit.

-A very thin and small fire-reddened soil containing fish bones and charcoal along with few a pieces of fire-altered rocks, was unearthed on top of the 2nd buried humus layer;

-in a 5th buried humus layer (between 41-43 cm b.s), we exposed a hearth feature approximately 95 cm x 110 cm by 2-3 cm thick, containing a few pieces of fire-altered rocks and calcined bones, and a relatively large quantity of charcoal. Only the southern tip and a part of the eastern tip of the feature extended outside of the test unit. Two or three cm above the hearth feature, a siliceous argillite core fragment, probably associated with the hearth, was found;

-thin layers of silty clay (1 cm thick) separated the 7th and 8th buried humus layers;

-bits of charcoal and ash were noted at approximatively 72 cm b.s. and permafrost was observed in the coarse gravelly-sandy matrix at 84 cm b.s.

Test unit #3 was dug where the slope near the trail going down to the beach starts. In addition to the two first cultural layers containing recent historic material previously discussed, a 3rd layer of occupation was excavated at ą45 cm b.s. This layer contained a small oval hearth feature, 25 cm in diameter, made of a thin layer (1 cm) of fire-reddened soil which contained charcoal, a few broken bones, a cut wire nail, and a piece of metal. The relative depth of these few historic occupational remains demonstrate how important the floods along the Mackenzie River are, to have buried, at this depth, relatively recent cultural material. A tabular side-scraper (chi-da-tho) was also found 5 cm above the fire-reddened soil.

A 4th layer of occupation was excavated in test unit #3 at ą50 cm b.s., just underneath the 9th buried humus layer. In this cultural layer, we found a hearth feature containing a large numbers of pieces of fire-altered rocks (boiling stones), granules of charcoal and calcined bones. A few fish bones and scales and 4 siliceous argillite flakes were present at the surface of the hearth which follows the natural curve of the slope leading down to the beach. The yellowish soil forming the hearth was approximatively 1 cm in thickness and covered a rusty- brown soil containing only bits and pieces of charcoal. The feature extended outside the square metre in all directions except the southeast. Due to the lack of time, excavation was stopped after sampling faunal material and flakes at the surface of the fire-place, and we covered the hearth with plastic before backfilling test unit #3. An AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) date of 1400ą60 BP (Beta-66410) was obtained from fish bones associated with the hearth; indicating an occupation during prehistoric times. This radiocarbon date is as old as the oldest date obtained from the deepest cultural layer excavated in MiTr-1 (Tsiigehtchic).

In test unit #4, six well-defined humus layers were observed. Two black chert flakes were found in a patch of sandy material within the gravel matrix, underneath a 6th buried humus layer, at approximatively 78 cm b.s.

The depth of these last findings tell us again that remains of occupation, can be found in deeper layers of soil accumulated at least since the last 14th centuries. Extensive excavations will be necessary to adequately document the occupation of the terrace which seems to hold the remains of a relatively long sequence of occupations, buried under heavy overbank deposits.

Most of the time we disposed of was spent testing the 10-12 m terrace west of Pierre's Creek. Yet, a few hours were used to test the terrace offering nice habitable surfaces, along the northern side of Pierre's Creek. No archaeological remains were found. Visual inspections and some test pits were also dug on the slope and on the hill behind (west) the log cabin, where a recent camp (ą10 years) was recorded by Pilon in 1991 (Pilon 1992:78). No traces of older occcupation were encountered.

MhTq-1b: A short period of time was spent shovel testing the beach (the point) west of the mouth of Pierre's Creek where lithic material and a buried hearth feature were found by Pilon in 1991 (Pilon 1992:78, 80), as we mentioned earlier. On the point at about 6-7 m from the embouchure of Pierre's Creek, where willows and grass are growing next to the creek (approx. 1.2 m) a very thin layer (less than 1 cm thick) of fire-reddened (reddish-brown) soil containing scattered pieces of charcoal and powdered calcined bones and ashes, was recovered in a 3rd buried humus layer at 17 cm b.s. Limited excavation allowed us to circumscribe the hearth remains which had an oblong shape roughly oriented north-south of approximatively 40 cm x 98 cm in their longest axis. In a thin clay layer just above the hearth matrix, a grey chert cortical flake was unearthed. A small green chert uniface tool fragment was also collected approximatively 20 cm away from the north end of the feature. Both lithic artifacts show weathered surfaces suggesting a relatively long period of abandon. No fire-altered rocks were found.

This hearth feature seems to have been partially scraped or washed before been buried. This is suggested by the thinness of the fire-oxidized soil. The presence of lithic material also suggest an occupation during prehistoric times. Time constraints did not permit intensive testing the entire surface of the beach in its western direction, where Pilon made his findings in 1991. Once again the discovery of the hearth demonstrated that actives beaches along the Mackenzie River can retain evidence of prehistoric or early historic use.

d) Discussion

Our brief archaeological reconnaissance demonstrated a relative variability of settlement patterns along this segment of the Mackenzie River which had never been systematically surveyed before. By systematically we mean intensive test pitting. In reality, our survey did not exploit the full range of geomorphic settings present along or at a certain distance of the Mackenzie River. Rather, we concentrated our restricted time and energy recording the cultural remains found in stratified layers of soil in order to demonstrate their archaeological potential. Besides, we wanted to collect data providing information about the chronology of occupation.

At MhTp-1, we were not able to demonstrate with certainty that the depression surrounded by about 10 adze-cut stumps constitutes a semi-subterranean structure, but it presents some of the caracteristics usually associated with them. If is indeed a semi-subterranean feature, it is one of the 5 thus far known along the banks of the Mackenzie River. Thus this type is not restricted to the inland area to the north where more than 50 such structures have been found (Pilon 1991).

The limited area tested west of Tsidal Trein Creek (MiTq-2) demonstrated the importance of this location for its archaeological resources. Different archaeological deposits were identified in a stratigraphic context, offering good preservation of organic material usually lacking in interior sites.

We believe that the 7-8 m terrace west of Tsidal Trein Creek (Chidaltaii) has a very good archaeological potential and more investigations should be done. The terrace located on the east side of the creek has also to be tested. Archaeological excavations of the site would possibly provide the opportunity to record data related to a settlement used as a temporary camp, possibly related to the process of seasonal movement of people to the hinterland as well as the use of the site for its good fish resources and its valuable drinking water.

The return to MhTq-1a and b (Pierre's Creek) allowed the collection of pertinent archaeological data and like at Chidaltaii, repeated occupation vertically distributed in the soil. At MhTq-1a, next to the log cabin, the artifacts found through the soil accumulation sequence suggest no apparent interruption of the use of the site. Further excavations will certainly provide the necessary information to confirm or reject this hypothesis.

Radiocarbon dating of fish bones associated with a hearth feature buried underneath a 6th buried humus layer, provided a date (1400ą60 BP/Beta-66410) as old as the oldest date obtained at MiTr-1 in Tsiigehtchic (1375ą55 BP/Beta-62582). At this time, they are the oldest occupations radiocarbon dated along the lower Mackenzie River and, certainly, the potential exists to find older traces of occupation on the terraces. Systematic excavation is undoubtedly needed.

The lithic debitage associated with the hearth on the beach next to Pierre's Creek (MhTq- 1b), once again demonstrates the potential of finding archaeological remains on beaches covered by sediments. As Pilon explained "the slight point on the east side of the mouth of Pierre's Creek, combined with the strong discharge of that stream, and the resultant eddy appear to afford the active beach some protection against the ravages of spring flooding" (Pilon 1992:80).

Finally, in the other surveyed localities some parameters related to archaeological visibility, such as: erosion, soil accumulation, intensity of test pitting, vegetation type, etc., did not allow us to find any buried cultural remains. We believe that the probability of discovering such traces of the past in these localities still exists.

The information gathered during the course of this survey, along with observations made in 1986 and 1991 by Jean-Luc Pilon contributed substantially to a discussion of the archaeological potential along the lower Mackenzie Valley.