Early Pre-contact use of organic materials within the North Superior Region: Indirect evidence through use-wear analysis

Abstract

The research presented here indirectly determines the presence of organic materials from the Electric Woodpecker II site, an Early Holocene archaeological site within Northwestern Ontario. A detailed use-wear analysis on unifacially flaked formal and expedient tools will provide insight into utilitarian activities. Methods employed include an experimental program completed prior to archaeological analysis, macroscopic analysis, and both low- and high-powered microscopic analysis. Analysis of individual flake scars and feature analyses were completed. The findings of this research indicate the task-specific use of high-quality, formal artifacts; the hafting of informal artifacts used for multiple purposes; and the general, multi-purpose use of handheld expedient artifacts. Wear patterns are indicative of dry hide, bone, meat, grassy and woody plant materials, and wood. Evidence of hafting was found on both formal and informal artifact types.