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Ontario archaeology

Ontario archaeology is the study of human material culture in the province of Ontario, Canada. As an industry in Ontario, it is commonly referred to as Cultural Resources Management. Trends in material culture are grouped and time periods are derived from these groupings of similar artifact typology. In the case of Ontario, the Paleoindian, Archaic, and Woodland periods distinguish common ways of life of many native groups over a period of time. When stone technology changes, pottery is invented, or Europeans arrive, archaeologists refer to a new period in the archaeological and historical record to reflect that. They look for big changes in the way people were living their lives.

Paleoindian period

Early Paleoindian Most recent evidence suggests that the Paleoindian period began approximately 13,500-12,000 years ago. Paleoindians lived lightly on the land as the late ice age environment did not permit them to build permanent settlements. They were nomadic and would have lived in small family units. As hunter gatherers they relied heavily on a broad stone tool technology. The projectile points from this period are skillfully made from a variety of fine-grained stones such as cherts and flints. The most characteristic and difficult Paleoindian point to produce is the Clovis point which has a fluted base, requiring the maker to have an outstanding knowledge of the stone's properties.

Late Paleoindian Late Paleoindian period projectile points lack the fluted base of the Early Paleoindian era. Most tools during this time were made for hunting and were re-purposed if chipped or broken. Based on the location of quarries of stone used to make these tools, flintknappers would have traveled large distances to acquire stone. Paleoindian sites in Ontario are rare due to the fact that they lived lightly on the environment. As well, due to the age of Paleoindian sites, stone tools are usually all that remains for archaeologists to find. Any organic materials, such as leather or plants would have decayed.

Archaic period

Early Archaic The Archaic period lasted from approximately 12,000 - 2,900 years ago. During this time the ice age was receding and the climate was getting warmer. Deciduous trees started to appear, along with modern animals and rising water levels. The Archaic peoples had more regional variation in their way of life compared to the Paleoindians. This is due to the abundance of resources that appear during this time. Archaic peoples were increasingly knapping with local stone for their tools and began to used coarser grained rocks like slate and granite that were difficult to flake and had to be ground and polished. Most of these ground stone tools were used for woodworking, for example, axes and drills. Not as much care was put into re-using or re-purposing tools that were chipped as in the Paleoindian period.

Middle Archaic The Middle Archaic period lasted from 9,000-7,000 years ago. During this time, water levels were receding and the climate was warming. By 8,500 years ago the landscape would have looked similar to modern day Ontario. Middle Archaic people were making elaborate stone knives, spear points, bannerstones, (weights for fishing) as well as items made out of native copper. By There is evidence to suggest that the Archaic people were the first to use the bow and arrow in Ontario about 4,000 years ago.

Late Archaic By the end of the Archaic period, 2900 years ago, people were crafting decorative and ceremonial items such as gorgets, bird effigies, and ceremonial pipes. As with the Paleoindian period, stone tools are the most frequently found items on Archaic sites due to their advanced age. However, archaeologists have documented bone and antler fishing tools such as harpoons, barbs, and hooks from around 6,500 years ago.

Woodland period

Early Woodland The Early Woodland is most easily distinguished from the Late Archaic by the emergence of the use of ceramic pots. The pots were rough at first, gritty and poorly fired. Over time the potter's techniques improved and pots were made with smooth surfaces and embellished rims. The invention of pottery did substantially change the hunter gatherer way of life in the Woodland period. People's seasonal routines stayed more or less the same: living in small family units or hunting camps in winter, and coming together into larger settlements in summer. Early Woodland people's were also known for their stone tool technology. The Meadowood culture (Early Woodland groups living in Ontario, Quebec, and upstate New York) produced chert bifaces which were made of materials traded over long distances.

Middle Woodland During the Middle Woodland, archaeologists find that people were increasingly beginning to cache stone tools. 80% of the caches in the Great Lakes area date to between 2,000 and 3,000 years ago. Many of these caches are associated with burial sites, while a number are associated with wet sites such as lake shores or bogs. Archaeologists link the increase in caching stone tools to an increase in ceremonial interaction between groups in the Great Lakes area.

Late Woodland By the late Woodland period, about 700 years ago, maize, squash, beans, sunflowers, and tobacco were being cultivated by indigenous peoples. The cultivation of these plants profoundly changed the lives of the people. Crops allowed people to have food for immediate as well as future use. This meant that permanent settlements were capable of providing enough food and resources for a large population. The first permanent farming communities in Ontario were established along the Grand River in Brantford around 1,000 years ago.

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