Lab Quiz #5

Question 1

Archaeological Culture

Answer 1

Regional manifestation marked by distinctive characteristics in material within a culture region

Question 2

Periods

Answer 2

Subdivision of prehistory determined by observable changes in archaeological remains
Ex. hunting strategy

Question 3

Phase

Answer 3

Block of time characterized by 1 or more distinctive artifact type (projectile points)
Distinguished by other phases through distinct characteristics and is spatially limited in a region and chronologically limited to the shortest time interval

Question 4

How are Culture-histories created?

Answer 4

By archaeologists from material patterning in archaeological record
Analytical heuristics that don’t necessarily reflect lived realities of people in the past
Constructed from traces of past lives

Question 5

ii’ taa’poh’to’p

Answer 5

Based on foundation of compassion through cross-cultural learning opportunities that promote awareness, education and understanding

Question 6

Trends in Alberta Culture-History - Lithic Technology

Answer 6

Large spear points to small, notched and un-notched projectile points

Question 7

Trends in Alberta Culture-History - Technology

Answer 7

Spears and knives to atlatls to bows and arrows (more recent)
Tipis and pottery

Question 8

Trends in Alberta Culture-History - Subsistence

Answer 8

Megafauna hunting to bison hunting (eventually, communal bison hunting)

Question 9

Trends in Alberta Culture-History - Environment

Answer 9

Generally warming with periods of cooler climate

Question 10

Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 12,000 Years Ago

Answer 10

Alberta has long history of human population (before this time it was largely covered in ice)

Question 11

Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 11,500-11,000 Years Ago

Answer 11

Ice-free corridor emerged in southern Alberta
Lithic artifacts known as Clovis points have been found dating to this period at sites in the south
Fluted points were hafted onto spear shafts/knife handles and used to hunt megafauna (mammoth, mastodon, giant bison)

Question 12

Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 11,500-10,000 Years Ago

Answer 12

Glaciers retreated even further, opening more land for humans to move across
Lithic artifacts known as Basally Thinned Triangular points have been found - Points were manufactured by the removal of small flakes from the base (known as basal edge) of a point so that it could be more easily hafted
Points here hafted onto spears and knives to hunt megafauna

Question 13

Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 11,000-10,000 Years Ago

Answer 13

Environment is warmer, Alberta was mostly covered in boreal forest
Sites mostly located in Southern Alberta (based on lithic evidence)
Lithic artifacts - Folsom points and Plainview points found

Question 14

Folsom Points

Answer 14

Leaf like shape with concave base and shallow grooves running the length of the point (known as fluting)

Question 15

Plainview Points

Answer 15

Concave base and basally thinned

Question 16

Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 10,500-9,500 Years Ago

Answer 16

Period of cooler, wetter weather begins and human populations move throughout Alberta
Lithic artifacts like Agate Basin points have been found dating to this period

Question 17

Agate Basin Points

Answer 17

Elongated lanceolate points with a thick cross section that have a straight/rounded base

Question 18

Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 9,500-8,500 Years Ago

Answer 18

After period of cool weather, rapid transition to warmer and drier conditions takes place - human distribution across landscape increases
Hunting practices show there were highly specialized and efficient bison hunters
Lithic artifacts like Cody Points and Alberta Points found - both stemmed points

Question 19

Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 9,500-7,500 Years Ago

Answer 19

Bison hunting dominated subsistence strategy
Technology consists of spears and knives, but a wide variety of point types - which may represent regionalization of earlier stone tool traditions
Distinct lithic artifacts like EDEN and SCOTTSBLUFF found

Question 20

Middle Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 7,500-5,000 Years Ago

Answer 20

Period known as ‘Mummy Cave’ period - characterized by increase in temp and decrease in rain with frequent periods of drought
Subsistence continues to be dominated by Bison hunting and Bison jumps
Technology includes atlatls (hand-held attachment for a spear) - stick with handle on one end and hook for spear on the other - increases speed and accuracy
Lithic artifacts include wide variety of points which may represent cultural variation - points tend to be side notched manufactured from both local and exotic materials

Question 21

Middle Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 5,000-2,500 Years Ago

Answer 21

Environment consists of increasingly severe winters and neoglacial period began about 4000 years ago - resulting in glacial advance
Technology and subsistence remained constant
Lithic artifacts known as oxbow points appear

Question 22

Oxbow Points

Answer 22

Have distinctive “ears” on base of point

Question 23

Middle Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 5,000-3,500 Years Ago

Answer 23

Subsistence shows continued dominance by bison hunting, also included antelope, deer and dog
3 primary stone tool points are Hanna, Duncan and McKean points

Question 24

McKean Points

Answer 24

Deeply notched at base but lack nothing at sides

Question 25

Duncan Points

Answer 25

Similar to McKean points but have distinct stem with sloping shoulder

Question 26

Hanna Points

Answer 26

Have stem and distinct shoulder

Question 27

Middle Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 3,250-1,500 Years Ago

Answer 27

Cooling trend of environment continues with moister and stormier winters
Technology includes tipi structures (seen by stone tent rings)
Lithic artifacts known as Pelican Lake points appear

Question 28

Pelican Lake Point

Answer 28

Characterized by corner-notching and “Christmas tree-like” appearance

Question 29

Middle Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 2,500-1,000 Years Ago

Answer 29

Climate becomes drier and warmer
Populations have reputation of being most proficient bison hunters
Important technology change was appearance of pottery, suggesting increasing sedentary lifestyle
May coincide with development of dog sled, similar to Blackfoot “Travois” technologies
Stone tools often manufactured from knife river flint
Besant side notched points are characteristic of this period

Question 30

Late Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 1,500-1,000 Years Ago

Answer 30

Climate remains dry and warm
Pottery shows signs of regional variation
Technology includes use of bow and arrow
Characteristic projectile points include side and corner notched Avonlea points, assumed to be arrow points

Question 31

Late Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 1,000-500 Years Ago

Answer 31

Climate is initially dry but by 500 years ago colder, moister conditions became norm
Significant regional variation in ceramics begins to appear
Stone tool technology includes side-notched points and lithics are known as Plains/Prairie side-notched points