Western Subarctic

Question 1

Unconfirmed Early peoples of the western subarctic

Answer 1

Earliest occupation between 14-15,000 BP

Question 2

What is the Steppe Tundra

Answer 2

Cold and dry environment
Highly productive and diverse landscape for plant species
Able to support the megafauna (Mammoths)

Question 3

What were the Bluefish Caves of Yukon

Answer 3

Contained evidnece of sporadic human occupation and dates cultures to 12,000 BP

Contained controversial material

Mammoth bones that were polished with signs of cut marks

Question 4

Describe what was found in Old Crow, Yukon

Answer 4

Mammoth bone with flakes

Shaped and prepared like a stone core

Materials dated to as old as 40, 000 BP

Question 5

Was there evidence for pre-clovis

Answer 5

Area artifacts are found in is deglaciated, contained hallmarks for flaking

Normal bone fracture and poor soil development

Question 6

Who were the confirmed early people in the Western Subarctic? What were the Point styles?

Answer 6

two distinct cultural traditions: Clovis and Folsom
Paleo-indian fluted point tradition
Plano point styles

Question 7

What was Charlie Lake Cave, British Columbia (date, what did they find)

Answer 7

Oldest evidence of rituals in Canada
10,500

Question 8

What is the Paleo-Arctic Tradition (Origin, date, culture)

Answer 8

Originating in Alaska
11,800 BP - 11, 000 BP, Oldest technological tradition (Nenana Complex)
Denali Complex

Question 9

What is the Denali Complex (date, characteristic tools)

Answer 9

10 ,000 BP
Microblades and burins

Question 10

What is the Nenana Complex (date, tools)

Answer 10

11, 800- 11, 000 BP
Unfluted points, bifacial knives

Question 11

Describe the western Subarctic after 8,000 BP (Culture that existed)

Answer 11

Northern Cordilleran developed with the Paleo Arctic to the west and the Paleo Indian groups to the south

Question 12

Describe the subsistence and habitation after 8, 000 BP

Answer 12

Shifted from megafauna to smaller species

Resources exploited on a seasonal basis
Central base camps and satellite hunting camps
Summer in upland areas
Fall, Winter, and Spring in lowlands

Question 13

What is the Plano tradition (Where, Points, time)

Answer 13

Present within Yukon, Northwest Territories, and northern British Colombia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba

Stemmed or elongated points, no flutes

Approximately 11,000 BP

Question 14

What is a northern Plano point

Answer 14

8,000 BP similar to Agate Basin form south but younger

Question 15

Describe the tools of each group
Northern Cordilleran in Yukon
Paleo Arctic to the west
Paleo Indian groups to the south

Answer 15

• the Northern Cordilleran in the Yukon – lanceolate points
• the Paleo Arctic to the west (Yukon/Alaska) - microblades
• Paleo Indian groups to the south – Northern Plano

Question 16

Describe the Northern Archaic (Date, develops from who, technology)

Answer 16

Begins about 7,000 BP
Develops largely from Northern Cordilleran
Major shift in technology: Side notched points, Atlatl technology

Question 17

What is the Atlatl (who used it, describe it)

Answer 17

Northern Archaic

Throwing sticks are grooved pieces of wood to hold a dart

Usage of smaller points in comparison with spear heads

Custom weights attached to increase power and range

Question 18

Subsistence and social systems of the Northern Archaic, where

Answer 18

Subsistence and social systems similar to the previous millennia (Northern Cordilleran, regional exploitation, ban d system based on extended kinship)
Northern Archaic traditions found within the western portion of the Western Subarctic

Question 19

When did Northern Archaic traditions stop

Answer 19

Northern Archaic traditions exist up until the period of European contact
Continue to see small-scale variation in point styles and the use of microblades across the western half of the Western Subarctic

Question 20

Describe bows and arrows of the Northern Archaic (When, made out of what)

Answer 20

• Arrow points predominantly made of bone and antler
• Preservation issue
• Estimated around 1,100 BP

Question 21

How did ice patches affect our findings

Answer 21

Organic preservation is a major issue in understanding peoples of the region
Warming temperatures in the 1990s melted ice patches that revealed organic artifacts that were lost while hunting or traveling across the patches that were preserved