4.1 ARTIFACT SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION:
ABORIGINAL ARTIFACTS FROM THE LA VASE NORTH BANK SITE (CbGu-1)
4.1.1 Lithics
Michael Barnes
The 1992 and 1997 lithic assemblage consists of various local and non-local materials.
In general however, the sample size is quite small for CbGu-1. The following analysis will
be broken down according to type of material used and the types of tools made.
Quartz
This material can most likely be included as a local resource with various deposits
throughout Ontario (Traill 1983:300-301). Pure quartz is colourless, and in this form it
has a hardness of 7 on Mohs’ scale of hardness. Quartz has very poor cleavage,
resulting in a conchoidal fracture (Fenton and Fenton 1940:46), which is of course
inconvenient for the tool-maker.
The sample size of quartz elements from the North Bank is 22, they are represented by
function in the following:
97-133 CbGu-1
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Projectile Points One projectile point represents a basal
fragment. The North Bank specimen (Cat. No. 97-133) has a length of 31.88mm, a maximum
shoulder width of 37.98mm, a notch width of 14.46mm, and a thickness of 5.21mm. The
quality of the quartz varies from pure crystal quartz to milky quartz. On the exterior, it
is somewhat difficult to determine a percussion technique, however the edges appear to
have been bifacially retouched. The extreme basal portion apparently has been
corner-round-notched and is not retouched. |
97-46 CbGu-1
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Retouched Flakes These artifacts were primary or secondary
flakes showing evidence of reworking on one or more edges and may have served the purpose
of some crude tool. North Bank specimen 97-46 has had at least one edge unifacially
flaked. The most unique characteristic of this artifact is the orange impurity within the
pure quartz. The most probable mineral of this impurity is feldspar. The specimen is
rather small and fits easily between the thumb and forefinger. It therefore may have
served the function of a thumb scraper. |
97-115 CbGu-1
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Specimen 97-115 is morphologically very similar to an arrowhead,
however it is very small. The length is only 12 mm and the flake is 10mm at maximum width.
All edges save the basal edge appear to be bifacially reworked. The sides are straight and
without notches. Due to the small nature of this artifact it was decided to include it as
a retouched flake as opposed to an arrowhead; this matter will be discussed further in the
conclusion. |
Flakes
Flakes are those pieces that do not show evidence of reworking, and are debitage from the
tool-making process. Flakes include primary flakes, secondary flakes and
"shatter", all of which were probably discarded by the tool-maker. The Island
site yielded 5 quartz flakes. Little more can be said of these flakes except to infer
tool-making on the sites, which will be discussed later.
Quartzite
Quartzite is metamorphosed sandstone which has a similar hardness to
quartz, but has a less predictable fracturing sequence. This material is therefore less
useful to the tool-maker. The present assemblage (n=13) of quartzite is rather difficult
to assess. Firstly, it is most definitely a local material as veins of quartzite are
located on Bothwell Island within gneiss outcrops. Secondly, fragments are highly
indistinguishable as flakes, cores and the like. It appears that at least 11 specimens may
have been removed from larger cores as primary or secondary flakes. The sample however is
absent of any reworking or use-wear. Although some specimens (97-114) appear to have the
shape of scrapers, there is no evidence of use or reworking and they have not been
classified as tools.
Chert
Chert is the most common material utilized prehistorically. Chert is
almost identical to flint but may be less uniform in texture with a less predictable
fracture. It maintains a similar hardness to quartz at 7 on Mohs’ scale of hardness,
and is composed primarily of silica. Chert is found throughout the world and has a variety
of impurities that result in different colours and textures (Fenton and Fenton 1940:201).
This quality makes chert useful to the archaeologist as chert can usually be sourced back
to its forming location and, thus, trade patterns can be established.
The total sample size of chert from the North Bank is 9 elements. The
sample was compared with hand specimens of 15 local and non-local cherts. From general
observations this assemblage is small and randomly scattered. The material represents at
least 3 different types of local and non-local cherts. As expressed by ASI and with
consultation from Patrick Julig, the ability to distinguish Hudson’s Bay Lowland
(HBL) chert to Knife River Flint (KRF) is difficult, as both share similar
characteristics. The present assemblage contains 7 specimens of either KRF or HBL types.
Upon comparison, it appears that both types are present in the sample. One type (most
likely HBL) can be defined as having a "beeswax" or tan colour (n=3), while the
other (most likely KRF) appears to have a dark caramel colour (n=4). This breakdown
however, is a result from visual analysis and can only be verified by methods such as thin
sectioning.
The majority of chert elements are unworked primary, and secondary
flakes. Only two specimens can be confidently categorized as being worked for use as a
tool. Specimen 97-196 (of unknown chert type) represents the only core within the sample.
The proximal end of this specimen (or the platform) displays the outer cortex of the chert
nodule. The remainder of the core is an off-white opaque chert until it reaches the tip
where it becomes translucent and glossy. This transition to higher quality at the distal
end may indicate the preference of the tool maker, as this core could have easily been
flaked more extensively. The tip appears to have been reworked and polished and at least
one lateral edge may have been used as a scraper. This specimen may have served the
function of a "nose-head scraper" (personal communication, Patrick Julig).
97-123 CbGu-1
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Specimen 97-123 also has been worked to form some type of tool. The
chert type is either KRF or HBL (most likely the latter) and bears the exterior of the
nodule on one edge. This artifact is morphologically very similar to a miniature version
of a spall gunflint. The bottom and top faces are quite flat and the edges do not taper as
with gunflints, but instead all edges appear to be retouched at a ninety degree angle from
the top and bottom faces. The function of this specimen is not known but can be speculated
as a small thumb scraper. |
97-275 CbGu-1
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Two good examples of primary flakes are specimens 97-159 and 97-275.
Both have bulbs of percussion at the proximal ends, and are 22-23mm in length. These
flakes are most likely from the same nodule and the chert type appears to be Knife River
Flint. Both specimens have noted use wear. Specimen 97-160 has a polished cutting edge and
97-275 has scratch marks at the distal end of the blade. These tools are sometimes
referred to as "flake knives" (O’Brien 1976:49) and served the purpose of
cutting and slicing. Specimen 97-275 may have been used to whittle wood or bone, leaving
scratch marks on the chert flake. |
Spatial Distribution
The largest concentration of lithics was recovered from unit 486/196
(68%), which included 14 small fragments of quartz and 2 fragments of chert. Unit 487/195
yielded most of the remainder of lithics with several quartz flakes and the chert
"nose-head scraper" core. All lithics were found in dark, thick cultural layers
and penetrating the sterile soils.
Conclusions
Quartz was the predominant lithic recovered from the North Bank. Two
Knife River Flint "knife-blades" from primary flakes as well as a
"nose-head scraper" chert core alter the previous conception that the site
exclusively represents "secondary stages of lithic reduction" (Austin 1996:103).
Austin also states the recovery of one Knife River Flint knife blade (from the 1995 ASI
CbGu-1 assemblage) cannot be indicative of a core-blade industry. With two additional
Knife River Flint knife-blades with similar dimensions listed by ASI’s 1995 sample,
it must be reconsidered that these are not just "fortuitous" finds. It can be
agreed upon by the author however, that the majority of utilized tools are those that can
be classified as secondary retouched and secondary knapped.
The chert core is somewhat problematic as it is the only lithic artifact
found thus far that could have been knapped more extensively to create more flaked tools.
The North Bank sample is lacking in evidence for bipolar percussion
technique (this technique is useful for increased tool production from a single core).
Bipolar cores have been found on Huron sites (O’Brien 1976:48), and is evident from
the North Bank from previous excavations by ASI (Austin 1996:104).
The chert core "nose-head scraper" and the overall size of
quartz "thumb scrapers" suggest the lithic resources available were used to
their maximum potential.
Quartz tools are noted at the Methodist Point Site where the cultural
affiliation is Huron (Smith 1979:40). Similar characteristics were noted from the
projectile points in both dimensions and flaking techniques. O’Brien (1976) discusses
reused chert cores with some specimens displaying reworked lateral edges similar to
specimen 97-196.
As previously pointed out, how extensive the use of quartzite was for
tool-making is not known. O’Brien states that from the Methodist Point Site
"minor quantities of quartzite and other shield materials are also found and were
used to some extent" (O’Brien 1976:46).
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