Record of site excavation unit 49 at Graham site 2008.
Scope and Content
Site records of excavation units may include: level summaries, floor plans, feature sheets, wall profiles, unit summaries and any other additional information relating to the unit.
Record of site excavation unit 53 at Graham site 2008.
Scope and Content
Site records of excavation units may include: level summaries, floor plans, feature sheets, wall profiles, unit summaries and any other additional information relating to the unit.
Record of site excavation unit 5 at Graham site 2005.
Scope and Content
Site records of excavation units may include: level summaries, floor plans, feature sheets, wall profiles, unit summaries and any other additional information relating to the unit.
In 2005 the Brandon University Field School was held at the Crepeele site in the Crepeele locale.
Denise Ens instructed the school and James Graham was teaching assistant. Field journals were kept by both instructors.
Scope and Content
Record of excavation methods, items recovered, features, local environment and weather noted by teaching assistant.
Field journal book 2 by crew chief Tomasin Playford of excavation methods, items recovered, features, local environment and weather. Pages 37 to 49 and 73 to 78 relate to the Graham site.
Field journal crew member Andrea Richards of excavation methods, items recovered, features, local environment and weather. Pages 27-33 relate to excavation unit 9 at the Graham 2004 site.
Field journal crew member Shayne Kolesar of excavation methods, items recovered, features, local environment and weather. Pages 34-44 relate to excavation unit 14 at the Graham 2004 site.
Field journal by Brandon University Archaeology field school instructor Denise Ens of excavation methods, items recovered, features, local environment and weather.
Brandon University Archaeology field school assistant Jessica McKenzie worked at the Graham and Atkinson sites in 2006. Pages 1 to 44 relate to the Graham site.
Scope and Content
Field journal by Brandon University Archaeology field school assistant Jessica McKenzie. Journal contains information about excavation methods, items recovered, features, local environment and weather. Pages 1-44 relate to the Graham 2006 site.
Field journal by Brandon University Archaeology field school student Erin Platt. Journal contains information about excavation methods, items recovered, features, local environment and weather.
The Atkinson site was named for the landowners Ken and Karen Atkinson who were very helpful to the archaeology and geoarchaeology crews that worked at the site. Their support made the project possible.
The Atkinson site story begins with the discovery of a charcoal lens eroding from the north bank of the Souris River in the summer of 2002. Study of Cultural Adaptations on the Prairie Ecozone (SCAPE) project geoarchaeologist Dr. Garry Running was exploring the stratigraphic layering in the bank when he noted the lens and reported it to Dr. Bev Nicholson. Upon closer examination, a tiny pressure flake was observed on the lens exposure and it was decided to collect a charcoal sample for radiocarbon dating.
The resulting date of 5250B.P cal. 4225 B.C. placed the site in the early Archaic period. A second date on bone collagen of 5580B.P. cal. 4500 B.C. confirmed the earlier date and gave an averaged date of circa 4400 B.C or 6,500 years ago.
The Atkinson site is one of the oldest excavated sites in Manitoba. Based on the date of the site and the kind of lithics (stone tools) present it is considered a Gowen occupation. The Atkinson site is evidence that bison hunters were active on the northern plains at a very early date. Similar sites have also been found on the High Plains in the U.S. and are referred to as the Mummy Cave Complex.
The Atkinson Site is of great importance as it is the first undisturbed site of this type to be excavated in Manitoba and extends the range of these sites south and east from the type-sites in central Saskatchewan. Based on the date and sample evidence further excavations were conducted by Dr. Nicholson's team. in 2003, 2004 and 2006.
Scope and Content
Sub series has been divided into three sub sub series including: (1) Atkinson 2003, (2) Atkinson 2004; (3) Atkinson 2006
The Duthie site is the first site identified in the Makotchi-Ded Dontipi locale. It was reported to Dr. Bev Nicholson by Doug Jackson, a local collector who had observed archaeological materials that had been exposed during the construction of Maple Hill Road northwest of Lauder. The site is named after the landowner, Randy Duthie.
The initial inspection of the exposed materials indicated that the eastern half of the site had been severely impacted by raising a road grade using an elevating grader. However, an undetermined amount of the site remained to the west, flanked by a low sand dune. Testing and preliminary excavations were conducted in 1992-93. In 1994 a field school added to the excavated sample. The undisturbed portion of the site, west of Maple Hill Road was situated at the base of a low sand dune and had an aspen and willow forest cover. The water table was approximately one meter below surface at the time of excavation. A rising water table has since prevented further excavations.
Two dates on bone collagen were obtained during excavations. These were 880+/-80 B.P. (Beta 62705) and 970+/-40 B.P. cal. 1030 A.D. (TO 13366). These dates are consistent with an Initial Middle Missouri cultural assignment. The site occupation is identified by the distinctive ceramics found there. Ceramics at the Duthie Site are tool impressed with incising and lip modeling with fabric impressions on most vessels. Jill Taylor analysed the ceramics from the site for a Specialist thesis, Brandon University (1994) and a Masters of Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan. (Taylor 1995).
Analysis of residue from Duthie site pottery by Matthew Boyd recovered corn (Zea mays) phytoliths and bean (Phaseolus sp.) starch grains indicating consumption of these domesticates at the Duthie site. (Boyd 2006)
The occupation of this site indicates a migration of people from the south who were well acquainted with horticultural farming. These people had previously migrated to South Dakota following river valleys into the central plains from the eastern woodlands during late Hopewell times. It appears that they later migrated well to the north into southern Manitoba but there is no evidence that they remained there for more than a single year.
Boyd, M., C. Surette and B.A. Nicholson. 2006 Archaeobotanical Evidence of Prehistoric Maize (Zea mays) Consumption at the Northern Edge of the Great Plains. Journal of Archaeological Science 33: 1129-1140.
Taylor, J. 1994 An analysis of the ceramics recovered during 1992 and 1993 at the Precontact Duthie Site (DiMe-16). Specialist thesis, Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The Series has been divided into seven sub-series, including (1) Duthie site (2) Jackson site (3) Twin Fawns site (4) Vera site (5) Schuddemat site (6) Bradshaw site (7) Hollow B site.
Record of site excavation unit 10 at the Crepeele site 2005.
Scope and Content
Site records of excavation units may include: level summaries, floor plans, feature sheets, wall profiles, unit summaries and any other additional information relating to the unit.
Record of site excavation unit 2 at the Crepeele site 2004.
Scope and Content
Site records of excavation units may include: level summaries, floor plans, feature sheets, wall profiles, unit summaries and any other additional information relating to the unit.
Record of site excavation unit 3 at the Crepeele site 2004.
Scope and Content
Site records of excavation units may include: level summaries, floor plans, feature sheets, wall profiles, unit summaries and any other additional information relating to the unit.
Record of site excavation unit 4 at the Crepeele site 2004.
Scope and Content
Site records of excavation units may include: level summaries, floor plans, feature sheets, wall profiles, unit summaries and any other additional information relating to the unit.