| dc.description.abstract | The Mackenzie Sites appear to form part of the Late Paleoindian Lakehead Complex that
occupied the unglaciated peninsula between Glacial Lakes Agassiz and Minong at the end of the
Pleistocene. While a number of archaeological sites and isolated Plano finds have been made
throughout the region, most excavated collections are from large-scale quarry workshops, and
have yielded vast assemblages of lithic debitage with comparatively few diagnostic tools. In
contrast, the Mackenzie 1 (DdJf-9) site appears to be an extensive and repeatedly used stream
mouth habitation place exhibiting a range of stylistic influences represented in the projectile
point assemblage. Contrary to conventional wisdom, this thesis will utilize an attribute analysis
approach to typological analysis that will permit identification of significant patterned variation
of the 380 projectile points recovered, which will challenge or support the definition of the
Lakehead Complex and Interlakes Composite. The assemblage consists of 53 complete points,
116 basal fragments, 80 midsections, 116 tips, 5 points that were reworked into scrapers, 5 chisel
shaped specimens, and 5 that appear pseudo-notched.
The assemblage is made up of a wide range of materials, but the majority of projectile
points are created from the locally available Gunflint Formation (taconite). Hixton Silicified
Sandstone, Knife Lake Siltstone, and Hudson’s Bay Lowland Chert are also present in minor
capacities. The surprisingly large assemblage of 380 projectile points will in turn enable more
credible comparison to late Paleoindian projectile point typologies developed in other regions.
The attributes that were chosen for the analysis were focused on the projectile point basal
configuration, specifically the bottom third of the specimen. While the functional requirements
associated with arming a spear with a sharp stone tip are rather generic, most projectile points
exhibit a comparatively narrow range of culturally mediated attributes that reflects both ‘functional’ considerations coupled with ‘stylistic’ choice. The combinations of attributes,
therefore, are thought to reflect the cultural ‘rules’ or parameters of what archaeologists suggest
the artisan imagined to constitute a suitable tool form. Taxonomically recognized variability in
tool form sometimes represents temporally and geographically defined variation that is thought
to be diagnostic of the various cultural sequences reported across North America. As a result of
this rationale, the primary traits chosen to taxonomically characterize the projectile points
centred on the morphological shape of the basal configuration; lateral edge shape and basal
concavity. Secondary traits on the projectile points include attribute states associated with
flaking pattern, cross section and the frequency/degree of lateral and basal grinding. These are
considered secondary traits in this analysis because they do not directly influence the
morphological variability of the projectile points, but add another layer of detail suggestive of
the original decision-making process. Particularly compelling is the strong numeric dominance
of projectile points exhibiting the parallel oblique flaking pattern (99%). This challenging flaking
technique is undertaken upon very challenging raw material, but it does not appear to have any
clear ‘functional’ purpose. Nonetheless, its numeric dominance demonstrates that it represents an
important culturally conditioned ‘rule’ evident at Mackenzie 1. | |
