North Caribou Lake Archaeology: Northwestern Ontario

Abstract

<p>Field work in the summer of 1981 at North Caribou Lake, at the headwaters of the Severn River drainage, yielded 23 sites. Excavation and testing of ten produced Laurel, Blackduck, late prehistoric, 19th century Fur Trade and 20th century material. To date, this represents the most northerly expression of Laurel and Blackduck cultures in northwestern Ontario.</p> <p>The ethno-archaeological focus of this project, combining archaeological, archival, ethnographic and informant data, allowed for a clear understanding of the native use of the lake over the past one hundred years, including some important determinants of boreal forest settlement patterns. These determinants appear to have remained relatively stable from Middle Woodland times to the present. Observation of modern seasonal patterns of occupation has aided in the interpretation of the culture history of North Caribou Lake.</p>