The Boresma Site: A MIddle Woodland Basecamp In the Thames River Valley

Abstract

<p>In this report I discuss the excavation and analysis of the Boresma site (AfHi-121), a large Middle Woodland occupation located on the Thames River floodplain near Delaware Ontario. Rather than a spring/early summer macro-band fishing station, the Boresma site appears to have functioned as a base camp, occupied on and off throughout the year, providing the focal point for a local group's movements.</p> <p>The location of the Boresma site along the proposed boundary between the Couture and Saugeen complexes also allows some observations concerning the utility of these large culture complex labels. At present, labels such as Saugeen have come to be used as rubrics for real sociopolitical groups. I suggest that they should be restricted to use as labels for areas where similar patterns of settlement and subsistence can be demonstrated. On this basis I present revised margins for the Saugeen complex, and propose a new term. the Middle Thames River complex. for the Middle Woodland occupations along the middle reaches of the Thames drainage.</p>