Block A was the most southern site in the locale. The excavation block consisted of 12 contiguous 1m2 units dug in a 3m x 4m rectangle. The block was the least productive of cultural materials, and bone preservation was the poorest. Under the sod, the black loam layer appeared at 5 cm below surface, and the glacial clay at 25 cm below surface. Excavators described the soil matrix as gritty and silty, and it became concrete hard when dried.
The occupation or bone layer extended from 10 to 25 cm below surface and consisted of a contiguous scatter of FCR and unidentifiable large ungulate bone which was heavily processed and intensively scavenged by carnivores. Most cultural materials were recovered within this layer. Fire cracked rock (FCR) and small burnt bone fragments were present but no intact hearths or processing features were evident.
Non-cultural materials included limestone and other natural pebbles derived from the parent till. (These small limestone pebbles were apparent in the occupation layers in other blocks as well). Root and rodent disturbance was extensive throughout Block A. Most units were excavated to gravelly clay till. Nine of the twelve units were dug to level 4b, which ended at 40 cm b.s.
No further excavations were done at this site. No C14 dates were taken.
Scope and Content
Sub-sub-sub series contains: Summary information of field methology, number and co-ordinates of excavations, personnel and their staff position; Field journals are daily records of recoveries, features and activities at the site; Site records include excavation level and unit summaries, feature sheets, profiles; sample records and maps; Artifact catalogues are lists and identifications of all artifacts recovered; Photographs are of excavation units, features, the landscape and personnel.
Block C was situated in sparse oak forest with an understory of saskatoon, hazelnut and a thick ground cover of poison ivy and sarsaparilla. The block measured 3m and 3m and contained nine excavation units. All units were excavated to 35cm below surface. The soil horizons were much like the other blocks, except for a rusty brown stain in the first level, giving the upper black loam a mottled appearance. The brown patches were clay mixed with loam and were harder than the surrounding matrix. No definitive interpretation of these phenomena was attempted but this effect may be the result of natural brush or forest fires. Under the 5cm so d/humus (Ah) layer, the loam horizon extended approximately 5cm – 25 cm below surface, and averaged 20 cm thick. Bone was concentrated within this horizon between 10 cm – 20 cm below surface.
Block C was notable for its concentrations of articulated bison bone. Most noteworthy was an articulated unit composed of lumbar vertebrae, pelvis, and sacrum. Several thoracic vertebra/proximal rib end concentrations were also recovered. There were more vertebrae and rib sections recovered in the units in proportion to other bones. A few sherds, some debitage and a single Prairie Side-Notched point fragment were among the recoveries. Based on the quantity of bone, the density of the bone layer, and the articulated butchering units the area has been interpreted as a bone midden.
Faunal material was analysed by Jessica MacKenzie for her Honours Thesis: "A reconstruction of butchering processes in Block C from the Lovstrom site DjLx-1 in Southwestern Manitoba."
Radiocarbon date: 850/115BP XU 79.
Scope and Content
Sub-sub-sub series contains: Summary information of field methology, number and co-ordinates of excavations, personnel and their staff position; Field journals are daily records of recoveries, features and activities at the site; Site records include excavation level and unit summaries, feature sheets, profiles; sample records and maps; Artifact catalogues are lists and identifications of all artifacts recovered; Photographs are of excavation units, features, the landscape and personnel.
Block D was wooded with oak and an understory of saskatoon and hazelnut with a thick ground cover of poison ivy and sarsaparilla. Root and rodent disturbance was extensive.
Based on the recoveries from Test Unit 22 during the survey, further excavations were carried out. Two units 87 and 93 were excavated in 1987. A further four units were excavated in 1988. There appears to be a pre contact occupation and a protohistoric feature within the block.
Diagnostic lithics included a chert Plains Side-notch projectile point, and a large Woodland side-notched point. The lithic materials from Block D are primarily local cherts followed in abundance by Knife River Flint and Tongue River Silicified Sediment – both of which are exotics imported from the southwest. Faunal remains were primarily bison.
Thin-walled obliterated fabric impressed pottery with grit temper was recovered in all units. Diagnostic ceramics included two rims, one with a fabric impressed exterior and the lip notched with dowel impressions, and a second thick walled rim was fabric impressed to the lip. The ceramic wares appear to be essentially a Woodland complex with overtones of Plains influence.
RC date: 230/90 BP.
Scope and Content
Sub-series has been divided into sub sub series including: Lovstrom Block D 1987 and Lovstrom Block D 1988.
This site is situated in a naturally sheltered area with a low rise to the east and south partly encircling a flat area open to the west. Present natural vegetation is an open oak forest with a light understory of saskatoon, hazelnut, poison ivy and sarsaparilla. It is situated on the till plain at the upper end of a ravine leading to Jock’s Creek.
Two test units six meters apart were excavated in 1987 and produced cultural materials which warranted a block excavation, so seven contiguous 1m2 units were then opened. These units proved to be very productive of cultural remains. Subsequent excavations in 1988 increased the number of excavated units to 21. In 1991 a further eight units were excavated for a total of 29 excavations and two test units. Excavations went deeper in this block than in Blocks C or B. Remains from the block included bison bone, bone tools, fire-cracked rock, ceramics, lithics including tools and debitage and a hearth. Another occupation was recovered in 1991 containing a hearth and living floor.
Radiocarbon samples have produced two distinct sets of radiocarbon dates from 1987 and 1988 excavations. There appears to be two or possibly three cultural horizons definable within this block.
An upper cultural horizon, located between 14-21 cm below surface, contains large bison bone and fire-cracked rock dating to 465/100B.P from XU 128.
A lower horizon in the 20-25 cm level contained FCR, bison bone and lithic scatter that was dated to 675/70 B.P. from XU 122 and 715/110 from XU 114.
Scope and Content
Sub-series has been divided into sub sub series including: Lovstrom Block E 1987, Lovstrom Block E 1988 and Lovstrom Block E 1991.
In 1988 four 1m2 units were excavated in this Block F. The forest cover is identical to that of Block E, with an open oak forest with a light understory of saskatoon, hazelnut, poison ivy and sarsaparilla.
Underneath the litter mat (Ah) is a shallow, 15-20 cm “A” horizon of dark grey/brown silty loam with a high representation of pebble size clasts. The glacial clays, encountered at 20 cm below surface, consist of a matrix of light tan sandy clays containing rounded pebble to cobble size rocks.
The recoveries from this block consisted of a few ceramics, including Vickers Focus rim sherds, four lithic tools and a number of small bison bone fragments. There was no discernible cultural stratigraphy in the four 1m2 units and the limited deposits of bone, ceramics and lithics were dispersed randomly throughout the 25 cm of cultural matrix. The lithic materials frequencies were similar to those in Block E with local cherts and KRF being the most abundant categories. A small amount of fire-cracked rock and a few large identifiable bison bones were recovered – all distributed randomly with little evidence for any pattern of clustering.
No RC dates.
Scope and Content
Sub-sub-sub series contains: Summary information of field methology, number and co-ordinates of excavations, personnel and their staff position; Field journals are daily records of recoveries, features and activities at the site; Site records include excavation level and unit summaries, feature sheets, profiles; sample records and maps; Artifact catalogues are lists and identifications of all artifacts recovered; Photographs are of excavation units, features, the landscape and personnel.
The vegetation in block H is similar to other areas in the locale with an open oak forest with a light understory of saskatoon, hazelnut, poison ivy and sarsaparilla.
The excavations of the eight 1m2 units in 1988 resulted in the recovery of over 650 ceramic fragments including 20 rim sherds from at least four vessels, a grooved maul, fire-cracked rock, lithic debitage and a reworked Avonlea projectile point. A large amount of bison bone, including a number of axial elements and a fragmented skull were also recovered.
Based on the 1988 recoveries at the site further excavations took place in 1991. Nine excavation units were opened next to the previous excavations. Another 250 ceramic sherds were recovered in 1991. Nine vessels have been identified based on rim sherds. Vickers Focus and Woodland vessels have been identified and two vessels similar to Scattered Village Complex were recovered.
The lithic material assemblage is intermediate between Blocks G and E with KRF being the most frequent material category followed by local cherts.
Two features, a hearth and a curvilinear arrangement of rock were recovered. The high numbers of ceramic fragments suggests a habitation area, rather than hunting or butchering behavior. However, the separation of occupations at the site is difficult to establish and there may be different uses of the site by successive occupations.
Radiocarbon dates from this block indicate two occupations separated in time by some 300 years. XU 181 – 405/110 BP and XU 184 – 780/110 BP.
Scope and Content
Sub-series has been divided into sub sub series including: Lovstrom Block H 1988 and Lovstrom Block H 1991.
In 1988 four units were excavated in Block G. The vegetation is similar to other areas in the locale with an open oak forest with a light understory of saskatoon, hazelnut, poison ivy and sarsaparilla.
Excavations recovered artifacts between 0 cm – 15 cm b.s. The cultural deposits are very shallow and it is quite possible that what appears to be a single occupation may in fact represent multiple occupation compressed deposits as a result of deflation or the lack of sedimentation in this raised area. This latter view is supported by the ceramics which appear to be a mixture of Blackduck and Vickers Focus wares.
The frequency and distribution of cultural material from block G contrasts with that of other sites in the locale. While the diagnostic materials are similar, the nature of the background debris and the associated lithic assemblage suggests that this area was utilized for a different set of activities.
Unlike Blocks E and H, there is very little in the way of ceramics, fire-cracked rock or bison bone, yet a significant amount of lithic debitage and six Plains/Prairie Side-notched projectile points were recovered. No unifaces or scrapers were recovered. This may be an area where activities such as manufacture and hafting of projectile points; hunting activities, butchering and refuse disposal took place.
No RC dates were taken.
Scope and Content
Sub-sub-sub series contains: Summary information of field methology, number and co-ordinates of excavations, personnel and their staff position; Field journals are daily records of recoveries, features and activities at the site; Site records include excavation level and unit summaries, feature sheets, profiles; sample records and maps; Artifact catalogues are lists and identifications of all artifacts recovered; Photographs are of excavation units, features, the landscape and personnel.
The Lovstrom surface collection came from small fields cleared within, and adjacent to, the major portions of the site which were excavated. The Lovstroms initial collection has since been added to by field personnel from Brandon University. The initial collections consisted of lithics and ceramics. A collection of faunal remains from the cultivated area was made by a Brandon University zooarchaeology class in 1986 which yielded specimens of elk, canid, mussels, and sucker, in addition to an expected abundance of bison. Since these materials were in a surface context, it may be that some of the faunal remains were historic.
The high biodiversity and evidence of pre-Europeon contact prompted the decision to test the Lovstrom locale. Nine 1m2 units were excavated in 1985 and, in 1986, an additional 15 1m2 units were excavated for a total of 24 test units. This testing indicated the presence of a large precontact locale with lithics, woodland ceramics and large amounts of reasonably well-preserved faunal materials.
The lithics indicated a late Prehistoric occupation (Nicholson 1986:35). However, the ceramics were more useful in that they identified the presence of Late Woodland cultures (Blackduck and Duckbay) and a single Middle Missouri vessel. It is believed that the Middle Missouri vessel was imported since the paste and construction/decorative technology differ distinctively from that of all other vessels recovered from the site. It was on the basis of an examination of these surface finds that the decision to test the Lovstrom site was made. These test excavations were conducted during the summers of 1985 and 1986.
Field investigations through shovel tests, excavation units, and examination of rodent mounds, indicated that the cultural deposits at the Lovstrom locale extend approximately 500m north from the edge of the Souris channel and eastward for over two hundred meters from the escarpment along Jock’s Creek. The presence of dense forest vegetation covering much of the locale, and the subsurface nature of the archaeological deposits obscured surface indications.
Radiocarbon dates: Test Unit 4: 1215/320 BP and Test Unit 8 1280/190 BP
Scope and Content
Sub-series has been divided into sub sub series including: Lovstrom survey 1985 and Lovstrom survey 1986
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of summaries of elevator operations. The records include the following:
Box 1:
Summary of Operations 1925-1968 Alexander-Gretna
Summary of Operations 1925-1968 Hamiota-Morris
Summary of Operations 1925-1968 Napinka-Woodnorth
Box 2:
Association Financial and Debt Repayment Summary 1925-1963
Association Financial and Debt Repayment Summary 1925-1963
Box 3:
Summary of Operations 1964-1968
Summary of Operations 1964-1968
Summary of Operations 1964-1968
Box 4:
Summary of Operations A-K 1925-1996
Summary of Operations L-Z 1925-1996
Elevator Points Closed A-L 1926-1987
Elevator Points Closed M-Z 1926-1987
Radiocarbon date reports have been scanned in multi-page PDF files.
History / Biographical
The Crepeele locale is located within the larger Lauder Sandhills area, located in southwestern Manitoba. The area is a complex region of high biodiversity made up of stabilized sand dunes and wetlands that encourage the development of mixed forest and grass prairie. This area provided a variety of subsistence resources for pre-European hunter-gatherers. At the present time the grass prairie is now farm land but the areas of vegetated sand dunes have not been cultivated and have revealed numerous pre-contact archaeological sites.
Archaeological surveying was conducted in 2003. The results of the 2003 Casselman survey showed over 300 test uints contained cultural material and indicated several areas for further examination including the Crepeele site DiMe-29, Sarah site DiMe-28 and Graham sites DiMe-30.
From 2003 to 2008 field work took place at the locale with 75 - 1m x1m units excavated. The Crepeele locale is a complex region of high biodiversity made up of stabilized sand dunes and wetlands that encourage the development of mixed forest and grass prairie. This area provided a variety of subsistence resources for pre-European hunter-gatherers. At the present time the grass prairie is now farm land but the areas of vegetated sand dunes have not been cultivated and have revealed numerous pre-contact archaeological sites.
To help establish the cultural sequence at the locale Radiocarbon dates were obtained from the three sites in the Crepeele locale.
Radiocarbon dating
The technique of radiocarbon dating was developed by Willard Libby and his colleagues at the University of Chicago in 1949.
Radiocarbon dating is used to estimate the age of organic remains from archaeological sites. Organic matter has a radioactive form of carbon (C14) that begins to decay upon death. C14 decays at a steady, known rate of a half life of 5,730 years. The technique is useful for material up to 50,000 years. Fluctuations of C14 in the atmosphere can affect results so dates are calibrated against dendrochronology. Radiocarbon dates are calibrated to calendar years.
Dates are reported in radiocarbon years or Before Present. Before Present refers to dates before 1950. The introduction of massive amounts of C14, due to atomic bomb and surface testing of atomic weapons, has widely increased the standard deviation on all dates after A.D. 1700 causing these dates to be unreliable.
Accelerated mass spectrometry can more accurately measure C14 with smaller samples and can date materials to 80,000 years.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series contains radiocarbon dates from: Crepeele, Sarah and Graham sites.
The high biodiversity and evidence of pre-Europeon contact prompted the decision to test the Crepeele locale. The survey was named in recognition of the Casselman family, the original landowners.
Archaeological testing began in the Crepeele locale in May 2003 on property now owned by the Crepeele family. The locale covers over 6 sections or approximately 3,800 acres of land in an area of stabilized sand dunes and wetlands covered with mixed forest and prairie grass. Given the terrain, the size of the crew and time constrains, an area of approximately 60 acres was chosen for the survey. The survey used the established archaeological methodology of walking the selected area and using a shovel test surveyed grid. The use of GIS technology to locate the exact test spot and record the information into a GIS database was a significant advance and was one of the advantages of the integration of multi-disciplinary techniques encouraged by the SCAPE project. Over one half of the test pits resulted in the recovery of cultural materials. The results of the Casselman survey indicated several areas for further examination including areas that became the Crepeele, Sarah and Graham sites.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series has been divided into five sub sub sub series including: (1) Summary information; (2) Field journals; (3) Site records; (4) Artifact catalogues; and (5) Photographs.
Radiocarbon date reports have been scanned in multi-page PDF files.
History / Biographical
The North Lauder locale has a long archaeological and geological history that is important for understanding the forces that shaped the region. Archaeological research in the locale shows that the area has been occupied by humans for at least the past 6,500 years. Environmental forces provided an area of diverse resources that attracted early peoples.
Archaeologists from Brandon University have been conducting research in the North Lauder locale that has focused on the Atkinson site, a 6,500 year old hunter-gatherer site and Flintstone Hill.
The geomorphology of the glacial Lake Hind Basin over the past 11,000 years is known primarily through the study of a cut bank along the Souris River. Flintstone Hill contains the most complete stratigraphic record for the post-glacial period on the northern plains. The site has been extensively studied by geoarchaeologists, geologists and paleoenvironmentalists over many years and their findings have contributed to our understanding of the region.
Radiocarbon dates were obtained from the Atkinson site and Flintstone Hill.
Radiocarbon dating
The technique of radiocarbon dating was developed by Willard Libby and his colleagues at the University of Chicago in 1949.
Radiocarbon dating is used to estimate the age of organic remains from archaeological sites. Organic matter has a radioactive form of carbon (C14) that begins to decay upon death. C14 decays at a steady, known rate of a half life of 5,730 years. The technique is useful for material up to 50,000 years. Fluctuations of C14 in the atmosphere can affect results so dates are calibrated against dendrochronology. Radiocarbon dates are calibrated to calendar years.
Dates are reported in radiocarbon years or Before Present. Before Present refers to dates before 1950. The introduction of massive amounts of C14, due to atomic bomb and surface testing of atomic weapons, has widely increased the standard deviation on all dates after A.D. 1700 causing these dates to be unreliable.
Accelerated mass spectrometry can more accurately measure C14 with smaller samples and can date materials to 80,000 years.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series contains radiocarbon dates from: the Atkinson site and Flintstone Hill.
The Sarah site was chosen for excavation based on the results of the Casselman survey. The survey recovered significant amounts of faunal remains, some ceramics and lithics from the test pits. Excavations took place in 2003 at Crepeele West (Units 1-5) and Crepeele East (Units 6-9). The site was subsequently renamed the Sarah site DiMe-28. In 2004 another 9 units were excavated (Units 10-18).
Based on the recoveries it was determined that the Sarah site is a stratified site with woodland ceramics in the upper occupation and late woodland points in both of the upper occupations. These upper occupations produced abundant bison bone including foetal bone. The lower occupations produced less bone and no foetal bone, although absence of foetal bone in the lower occupations does not necessarily indicate a warm season occupation. This could be due to sample error or perthotaxic factors such as scavenging of the fragile bone by dogs or other carnivores.
The dates from the Sarah site include 550+/-40 B.P.; 1430+/-80 B.P; 2810+/-80 B.P.; 3120+/-130 B.P. The lower occupations did not yield any diagnostic materials although debitage was abundant. These occupations were most productive at the edge of the large sand dune at the southern edge of the excavations. It is assumed that the major portion of these occupations have been overridden by the dune in the past 3000 years. Heavy earthmoving equipment would be required to remove this overburden which limits the possibility of future excavation.
Environment
The Sarah site is a large area located at the eastern end of the Crepeele locale. Ground cover is a mosaic of aspen poplar groves and patches of mesic grass prairie. Excavation profiles indicate that this has been the situation since early precontact times, although as local climatic conditions change (primarily rainfall), the relative size of these areas and where they may have occurred also changed. The soil is aeolian sand sheet derived from delta outwash deposits along the western edge of glacial Lake Hind. The present topography is a variable dune landscape reworked by aeolian activity that creates a mosaic of microhabitats. These include forested patches in the lee of sand dunes with grassland on the southern and western exposures and small damp lowlands that support balsam poplar, willows, red osier dogwood, high-bush cranberry and water birch. There is no permanent water source in the area although a small seasonal stream meanders through a damp lowland to the east of the Sarah site.
Scope and Content
Sub-series has been divided into sub sub series including: Sarah 2003 and Sarah 2004,
The Graham site is a located adjacent to the Crepeele site towards the western end of the Crepeele locale. The Graham site was initially designated as a separate site early in the testing of the Crepeele locale due to what appeared to be a distinction between Early and Late Woodland ceramics. Subsequent testing has shown that this distinction was premature and that the cultural mosaic represented in the western section of the Crepeele locale may not readily separate in this manner. However, due to the records management that was already in place, the original separate designations have been retained.
Environment
Ground cover is a mosaic of aspen poplar groves and patches of mesic grass prairie. Excavation profiles indicate that this has been the situation since early precontact times, although as local climatic conditions change (primarily rainfall), the relative size of these areas and where they may have occurred also changed. The soil is aeolian sand sheet derived from delta outwash deposits along the western edge of glacial Lake Hind. The present topography is a variable dune landscape reworked by aeolian activity that creates a mosaic of microhabitats. These include forested patches in the lee of sand dunes grassland on the southern and western exposures and small damp lowlands that support balsam poplar, willows, red osier dogwood, high-bush cranberry and water birch. There is no permanent water source in the area although a small seasonal stream meanders through a damp lowland along the eastern margin of the Crepeele locale.
Excavations at the Graham site took place from 2004 to 2008. Analyses of the recoveries shows that, with two exceptions, all of the occupations that have been tested produced bison foetal bone. The presence of foetal bison is a strong indicator of wintering occupations...The absence of foetal in some area does not necessarily indicate warm season occupations since these excavation series are small and the absence could be due to sample error or perthotaxic factors, such as scavenging of the fragile bone by dogs or other carnivores.
From this evidence the Graham site has been interpreted as being primarily a wintering area. This is consistent with the lack of surface water (snow would serve as a substitute in winter) and the abundance of wood for fuel – a critical requirement for winter occupation. Cultural occupations date from Mortlach circa 250 B.P to woodland circa 580 B.P.
Scope and Content
Sub-series has been divided into sub sub series including: Graham 2004, Graham 2005, Graham 2006 and Graham 2008
This box contains minutes generated by local MPE associations, collected by the central office. Records include the following:
127. SD #405 (Alexander, Beresford, Souris) June 27 1996 - July 12 1999
128. SD #404 (Hartney, Elgin/Fairfax) April 19 1996 - July 2 1999
129. SD #403 (Waskada, Deloraine, Goodlands/Medora) Dec 14 1995 - August 17 1999
130. SD #402 (Melita, Pierson) Nov 23 1995 - Oct 12 1999
131. SD #401 (Erikson, Cromer, Sinclair)
132. SD #503 (Elkhorn, Virden, Kirkella, McAuley) Dec 1 1995 - June 28 1999
133. SD #504 (Oakner, Quadra) July 31 1997 - April 14 1999
134. SD #301 (Killarney, Ninga, Dunrea, Boissevain) August 14 1996 - August 9 1999
135. SD and Local Miscellaneous
This box contains minutes generated by local MPE associations, collected by the central office. Records include the following:
79a. Cromer 1978-1980
79b. Cromer 1977-1978
80a. Dauphin 1977-1978
80b. Dunrea 1977-1980
81a. Gladstone March 1 1979 – Nov 24 1980
81b. Gladstone Feb 2 1977 – Jan 17 1979
82. Edwin Jan 10 1977 – March 3 1981
83a. Isabella Feb 4 1977 – August 28 1980
83b. Lauder April 20 1979 – Nov 13 1980
84. Lyleton Dec 13 1977 – Nov 24 1978
85a. Jordan April 2 1979 – Dec 11 1980
85b. Jordan Jan 31 1977 – Feb 26 1979
86. Moore Park Jan 4 1977 – April 11 1979
87a. Napinka Jan 17 1977 – Nov 14 1980
87b. Nesbitt Feb 8 1979 – Nov 27 1980
87c. Nesbitt Jan 6 1977 – Dec 18 1978
87d. Ninga Feb 16 1977 – July 28 1980
88a. Pierson Dec 20 1978 – Nov 26 1980
88b. Pierson Jan 20 1977 – Dec 20 1978
89a. Souris Jan 10 1975 – Nov 30 1976
89b. Sperling May 8 1978 – Dec 10 1980
89c. Sperling March 21 1977 – Jan 31 1979
90. Tilston June 9 1977 – Nov 16 1978
91. Waskada Jan 10 1977 – Dec 12 1980
92. Bradwardine Feb 11 1981 – Nov 16 1981
93. Cromer Jan 13 1981 – Nov 27 1981
94a. Dunrea Sept 23 1985 – Nov 27 1989
94b. Dunrea March 24 1981 – Feb 14 1985
95a. Beresford July 31 1986 – Nov 14 1986
95b. Beresford Jan 13 1981 – April 3 1986
96a. Gladstone Nov 19 1986 – Nov 28 1989
96b. Gladstone Nov 3 1983 – Oct 11 1986
96c. Gladstone Jan 23 1981 – Jan 4 1984
