Aboriginal History Unit: The Middle Period
(8000 to 2000 years ago) The Northern Plains
Two significant changes occurred about 8000 years ago: First Nations started using a new weapon technology called the atlatl-and-dart; and the weather got warm, very warm. In fact, this relatively hot, dry spell lasted for almost 3000 years! Because archaeologists had found so few sites from this period, they speculated that people had abandoned the northern plains entirely. We now know that people continued to live here during this major drought.
This multi-occupation site in southeastern Saskatchewan was first excavated in 1956. The site was used to name both the projectile point with the distinctive "ears" and the complex of artifacts associated with the points. A radio-carbon date of 5200 130 was obtained.
The Oxbow Dam site (DhMn-1).
However, over the years, the Oxbow Dam site artifacts and date have been somewhat of a problem for archaeologists. The artifacts were not much like those found at other Oxbow sites, and the date was too old.
Material from the Oxbow Dam site (DhMn-1).
New excavation and analysis occurred in 1995 and 1996. It now appears that the artifacts used to define the Oxbow complex came from several occupations and that the radiocarbon sample was contaminated by older material from an underlying occupation. The Oxbow Dam site is now thought to represent a transition from the older Mummy Cave complex to Oxbow proper.
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The Long Creek site is an ancient campsite in the floodplain of Long Creek in southeastern Saskatchewan. The site contains evidence of many different occupations that occurred over a 5000 year period. |
Aerial view of the Long Creek site (DgMr-1).
The Long Creek site (DgMr-1).
The very bottom occupation, some 4.5 m deep, contained a single hearth, a bison scapula (shoulder blade) rubbed with red ochre, a large hafted biface made of Knife River flint, and a few scrapers and flakes. It appears a small group of people, perhaps just one family, camped here briefly.
Excavation at the Long Creek site (DgMr-1).
Large hafted biface (offset knife) made of Knife River Flint.
Although no projectile points were found in this level, its age of 5000 years ago suggests it may be related to numerous sites across the northern plains known as the Mummy Cave series. Points found in these sites are the earliest known side-notched points used as tips on darts.
For further information contact the Curator of Aboriginal History
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