Entre-Deux-Lacs

This is a reconstruction of the prehistory of the Entre-Deux-Lacs area in chronological order. This has been done using information given. Giving special regard to radio carbon dates, geology of existing area and artifacts found by archaeologists. Through these methods the plan is to map a pattern of migration and trade around this area. The change in economy, circumstance and technology while also noting possible contentions and reasons for them. Site 3 Occupation 1: with the oldest radio carbon date of 1520-1410bc was obtained from charcoal from a hearth. The lowest layer of this excavation produced spear points, bifacial knives, scrapers and drills made of local chert, roughly flaked axes made of pre Cambrian rock. Pre Cambrian rock is only found North of lake Nakawa this area is unsuitable for agriculture and only a thin topsoil lies over the rock. Fish hooks, pins and awls made of bone and abundant fish remains and some deer were also found. The main diet during this time seems to be fish. There seems to be a migration from this site moving south to site 4 where no radio carbon dates have been done ,but artifacts of a similar nature have been found linking these two places. Fish hooks, awls, pins made of bone,fresh water shell midden also containing deer bones. Stone tools consist of roughly flaked axes made of pre Cambrian rock and local chert. Side notched arrow points made of chert. There are no signs of agriculture at this site. Site 3 Occupation two with a radio carbon date of 180-270ad appears to be a continuation of Occupation one. Chipped stone tools are similar, side notched arrow heads with the only exception to this being ground and polished axes made of pre-Cambrian rock instead of the roughly flaked ones from previous sites. Site 1 lies on the south eastern part of Fish Lake it has been defined by three separate periods. Period I is a small village containing 3 longhouses about 25m long. Side notched arrow points, scrapers, drills, awls and knives were the stone tools found. Ground polished axes made of pre Cambrian rock. Bone tools consist of scapula hoe ,fish hooks, needles and awls. This site seems to be the first farming community with the introduction of the hoe as a new technology. The main source of sustenance still consists of fish and deer with other animals found in lesser numbers with the addition of hickory nuts, acorns and chenopods which were abundant also small amounts of corn. Stone pipes were identical to those found in the South and the typology of the pottery was similar. Site 3 Occupation 3 remains undated but stone pipes identical to those found at site 1 Period I appeared as well as sand tempered cord impressed design pottery. Site 3 Occupation 4 and site 1 period II seem to coincide. Radio carbon dates for these sites are 1240-1350 and 1280-1350 respectively this gives 40 years leeway for the trade and tech to travel from South to North Site 1 period II consists of 10 rectangular houses approx 40m long. This was defended by a palisade. Pottery was different than any other outside region and was decorated with a punctate design. Tobacco seeds were found as well as a marked increase in corn cobs , flora and fauna otherwise remained the same. In site 3 Occupation 4 contained similar assemblage to Occ3 although ground and polished axes were more common. Shards of punctate pottery was found here only found in site 1 period II to the south of region. A higher frequency of furbearers. These findings point to contentions between the two tribes for tobacco and fur with greater need for defense in site 1 against site 3 whose bad soils were unsuitable for farming. Site 1 Period III, this village was partially built over the burnt remains of period II. Five ovoid longhouses were present again 40m long. Artifacts were similar to Periods I and II, but a change in tech saw arrowheads being corner notched and pottery was shell tempered with incised design much fifteenth century ites in the Southeast. Ground stone axes were made of local chert and stone pipes were numerous. Site 2 south of lake Nakawa had a radio carbon date of 1400-1450ad obtained from a palisade post. This site was excavated to find the corner of a longhouse and part of a palisade for defence which was used for dating.Pottery was all sand tempered with cord and incised design. Stone and pottery pipes were present.Stone assemblage consisted of large amounts of ground and polished stone axes made of pre Cambrian rock. Site 3 Occupation 5. The assemblage of this site is identical to that of occupation 4. The largest difference is that stone pipes have been completely replaced with sand tempered pottery pipes with small bowls. The findings of all these sites seem to conclude that a migration of indigenous people from North to south happened possibly because of lack of resources or tribal contentions. Agriculture was a predominantley Southern aspect of life since the soils in the north were unsuitable for precious commodities such as tobacco. The northern tribes seemed to have more fur this was also a commodity and as we read from French accounts in the seventeenth century fur could only be obtained from the North. The prehistory of this region is wrought with a need for resources only obtainable in certain areas that were controlled by separate tribes and that both were fully prepared to defend and go to war for these resources.