ABSTRACT: Developing a geomorphologic model for locating archaeological sites in eastern Quebec.

CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Abstract

Site preservation is a central concern of all archaeologists. Due to the vicissitudes of geological processes, we must assume that a majority of prehistoric occupations that could become archaeological sites have been destroyed. This is problematic for archaeologists because the small sample of prehistoric occupations that survive to this day are a poor representation of the actual presence of human groups on the landscape in the past. One way to that archaeologists have tackled this problem is by collaborating with geologists in order to develop regional models for site preservation. The dynamic geomorphologic processes that affect surficial geology must be understood in order to focus field research on those areas where archaeological sites are likely to be preserved. This is particularly true for fluvial settings that are the setting for most Holocene age archaeological sites in northeastern North America. The very same dynamic processes that can destroy sites have been found to preserve them in some fluvial contexts. I present the results from two field seasons of work on sites along the Madawaska River in the Temiscouata region of eastern Quebec (Bas-Saint-Laurent). One site in particular, CjEd-5, dates to the Middle and Late Ceramic period (circa 1500 to 500 BP) and contains several stratified occupations within fine alluvial sediments that form a point bar at the junction of two rivers. The point bar setting, while dynamic by nature, also contributed to the rapid burial of occupations thus preserving them in context. These short term occupations by small groups of hunter-gatherers are typically ephemeral and hard to find. Even more important is the fact that three to four occupations succeeding each other closely in time were found on one site in a stratified context, something that is rare in Quebec archaeology. The rapid burial by fine sediments (fine sand to silt) allowed for features such as hearths to be preserved in direct association with artifacts such as tools and faunal remains. Wood charcoal from these successive occupations that are in excellent stratigraphic context allowed for absolute dating of the occupations. A geophysical survey using a magnetometer was also carried out on the site and subsequent excavations served as a “ground truth” of the non-invasive geophysical investigation. This project has allowed us to develop a preliminary regional model for the location of later Holocene sites in fluvial settings with preserved stratigraphic contexts.

Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology