Lab Quiz #5 Flashcards
Archaeological Culture
Regional manifestation marked by distinctive characteristics in material within a culture region
Periods
Subdivision of prehistory determined by observable changes in archaeological remains
Ex. hunting strategy
Phase
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
How are Culture-histories created?
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
ii’ taa’poh’to’p
Based on foundation of compassion through cross-cultural learning opportunities that promote awareness, education and understanding
Trends in Alberta Culture-History - Lithic Technology
Large spear points to small, notched and un-notched projectile points
Trends in Alberta Culture-History - Technology
Spears and knives to atlatls to bows and arrows (more recent)
Tipis and pottery
Trends in Alberta Culture-History - Subsistence
Megafauna hunting to bison hunting (eventually, communal bison hunting)
Trends in Alberta Culture-History - Environment
Generally warming with periods of cooler climate
Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 12,000 Years Ago
Alberta has long history of human population (before this time it was largely covered in ice)
Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 11,500-11,000 Years Ago
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)
Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 11,500-10,000 Years Ago
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
Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 11,000-10,000 Years Ago
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
Folsom Points
Leaf like shape with concave base and shallow grooves running the length of the point (known as fluting)
Plainview Points
Concave base and basally thinned
Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 10,500-9,500 Years Ago
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
Agate Basin Points
Elongated lanceolate points with a thick cross section that have a straight/rounded base
Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 9,500-8,500 Years Ago
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
Early Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 9,500-7,500 Years Ago
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
Middle Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 7,500-5,000 Years Ago
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
Middle Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 5,000-2,500 Years Ago
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
Oxbow Points
Have distinctive “ears” on base of point
Middle Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 5,000-3,500 Years Ago
Subsistence shows continued dominance by bison hunting, also included antelope, deer and dog
3 primary stone tool points are Hanna, Duncan and McKean points
McKean Points
Deeply notched at base but lack nothing at sides
Duncan Points
Similar to McKean points but have distinct stem with sloping shoulder
Hanna Points
Have stem and distinct shoulder
Middle Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 3,250-1,500 Years Ago
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
Pelican Lake Point
Characterized by corner-notching and “Christmas tree-like” appearance
Middle Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 2,500-1,000 Years Ago
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
Late Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 1,500-1,000 Years Ago
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
Late Precontact Period - Alberta Culture-History 1,000-500 Years Ago
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
