Overview of the 1990 Field Season
by
Jean-Luc Pilon
NOGAP Archaeologist
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Summary of the 1990 fieldwork
Excavations undertaken at NbTj-9 and NbTj-17 on Hyndman Lake confirmed the occupation of these localities by groups related to the Arctic Small Tool tradition (ASTt). This brought the number of such sites on Hyndman Lake to three. Links with the coastal zone in the vicinity of Cape Bathurst Peninsula were confirmed with the discovery of vesicular clinker debitage at NbTj-17. While the acquisition of local raw materials at NbTj-9 was inferred by the profusion of cores, nodular fragments and debitage, the collection from NbTj-17 was relatively more modest and consisted primarily of the remains of implements and debitage associated with resharpening and final shaping. The differences between the two collections might indicate seasonal differences. Thus, the three ASTt sites likely attest to a complex adaptation to the interior rather than a casual presence.
Continued site survey in the southwest Anderson Plain resulted in the discovery of an additional 7 sites, for a total of 111 new sites since the NOGAP began work (as of 1990) in this region. Semi-subterranean structures, most of which are provisionally interpreted as the remains of winter dwellings, now number 53 (as of 1990) for the entire southwest Anderson Plain. Before the NOGAP work only one such structure was known.
Objectives of the 1990 field work
Just before Christmas of 1989, Treasury Board approved the continuation of the Northern Oil and Gas Action Programme (NOGAP). This second half of the programme was reprofiled to be spread over the course of the next four years. The 1990 field season thus constituted the beginning of the second phase of the NOGAP Archaeology Project of the Archaeological Survey of Canada, Canadian Museum of Civilization. In addition to a continuation of the survey work aimed at increasing the inventory of known archaeological sites, three previously discovered sites were targeted for additional testing. The first was the microblade-producing site at the east end of Hyndman Lake, NbTj-3. We hoped to obtain materials more informative about the makers of these distinctive artifacts. Just below the Hill on which NbTj-3 is situated was NbTj-17. Initial recoveries from test pits suggested that there an Arctic Small Tool tradition component there. Lastly, survey findings at NbTk-1 on the Kugaluk River had revealed that one of the four semi-subterranean structures found there could possibly date from the historic period. When dated, similar features appeared to date to prior to contact with Europeans.
Activities carried out during the 1990 field season
The field work of the 1990 field season took place between the first week of July and the first week of August, 1990, a total of five weeks. However, time was spent before the actual work in the field preparing gear and purchasing the necessary supplies in Inuvik. Further, an extensive inventory of our field gear was made following the field work. Over the years very substantial amounts of field gear had been amassed at the Inuvik Research Laboratory. A precise listing of this equipment and an evaluation of its condition is considered essential to the smooth functioning of future work in the region since the number of crews and field assistants would increase over the next two field seasons.
The 1990 field crew was made up of Luc Nolin (NOGAP research asxistant), Jane Dale (Red Deer, Alberta), Michael Jackson (Fort Good Hope, N.W.T.), Willie Simon Modeste (Inuvik, N.W.T.) and Jean-Luc Pilon, the principal investigator (Victor Modeste of Arctic Red River participated in the last week of fieldwork). All crew members had some previous archaeological field experience, ranging from several seasons of work to a field school. The quality of the field data is a reflection of their training, their dedication and interest in the work.
A base camp was established at Hyndman Lake, directly in front of NbTj-9, a site found in 1987. One of the main objectives at Hyndman Lake was to continue the testing of NbTj-3, a microblade producing site found in 1987 and tested in 1988. This task was ably overseen by Luc Nolin with the assistance of Jane Dale and Michael Jackson. As circumstance warranted, this crew spent the entire field period working at NbTJ-3, which has been named the Willie Simon Modeste site. A report on these activities was prepared by Luc Nolin.
The second crew consisted of Jean-Luc Pilon and Willie Simon Modeste. We conducted excavations at NbTj-17, a site found in 1988, where two possible ASTt burin fragments had been found. Test excavations were also carried out at NbTj-9 upon the discovery of a highly concentrated lithic scatter in proximity to a hearth area. The testing of these two sites, along with a limited amount of reconnaissance, ended on July 23rd when this second, smaller crew moved to Simon Lake (Ge'atat dilee), the last lake on the Kugaluk River.
At Ge'atat dilee we were joined by Victor Modeste of Arctic Red River. During our one week stay on this lake, we tested Structure No.2 of NbTk-1. When discovered in 1987, two poles associated with the earth ridges along side the depression appeared to have been cut with metal axes. In order to verify the possible historic dating of this feature, limited testing was undertaken along the southern perimeter of the depression. Archaeological site survey was also conducted and resulted in the discovery of six sites and additional details relating to the complexity of historic features at NbTk-1.
