Canada / SK / EiNs-4 (Sjovold) / S-1757

Lab number

S-1757

Field number

CMC-1102

Material dated

bison bone collagen; collagène osseux de bison

Taxa dated

Bison sp. thoracic vertebra (id. by I. Dyck)

Locality

on the north edge of "Sjovold" Creek, at its junction with the South Saskatchewan River, 500 m asl, 5.5 km southwest of Outlook, Saskatchewan

Map sheet

72 O/06

Submitter

I. Dyck

Date submitted

July 11, 0096

Measured Age

580 ± 190

Normalized Age

660 ± 190

δ¹³C (per mil)

-20.0

Significance

Woodland, Late Prehistoric; Sylvicole, Préhistorique récent

Stratigraphic component

Layer 1

Context

Layer I, units 1-3, base of AC and top of C1 soil horizons, 17 cm depth

Associated taxa

Mammalia 250, Bison bison 15-1, Canis familiaris 41-1, Leporidae 2-1

Comments

EiNs-4, Sjovold: This is a stratified habitation site with at least 21 buried components reaching to a depth of 4.1 m below datum. Dates and cultural complexes, where known, have been listed by Dyck (1983; Rutherford et al., 1984: 278-279), but a detailed analysis has altered the definitions and cultural assignments of several layers (Dyck and Morlan, 1995). Most of the dates used bone from the six contiguous excavated squares (units 1-6), but several bone samples were taken from deep creek-bank profiles correlated with the excavation. Some of the dates are associated with pottery but not with projectile points. One date is on carbonaceous soil from a suspected hearth lacking diagnostic artifacts, and one is on wood from gravel underlying the cultural components. The large standard deviations for many of the Sjovold dates resulted from uncertainty concerning the system background at the time the samples were counted (J. Wittenberg, p.c. to I. Dyck). At first glance, these dates seem not to resolve the chronology of the site. Most of the means are in correct order, but the standard deviations overlap quite broadly. However, by considering both the calibrated limits of the dates and their stratigraphic relationships it is possible to construct a fairly refined chronology (Dyck and Morlan, 1995). Layer I, with late prehistoric ceramics but no projectile points, was dated by S-1757. Layer II also yielded late prehistoric ceramics, but no projectile points, and one date, S-1758. Layer III produced both late prehistoric ceramics and projectile points along with a date on bison? bone fragments, S-1759. Layers IV and V were originally considered separate occupations, but they have been merged during the final analysis to comprise one occupation with Prairie side-notched points and a date (S-1760). The analysis also shows that materials in Interlayer IV-V/VI, including a date (S-1761), belong to Layer IV-V. Layer VI is an Avonlea component with both side-notched points and pottery. Although sublayers are mentioned in the date list (Rutherford et al., 1984: 278-279), they have been merged to represent a single occupation dated by S-1762 and S-1763. Interlayer VI/VII produced a bizarre specimen from unit 6. It is a megamammal (giant ground sloth?) rib containing well preserved collagen. A single collagen extraction yielded enough material for two accelerator mass spectrometry dates (CAMS-2274, CAMS-2296) that can be averaged (D.E. Nelson, p.c. 1992). Layer VII, with Avonlea pottery and Samantha projectile points, is not reliably dated by S-1764, because bone fragments drawn from unit 3 are now thought to belong to Layer VIII whereas a larger quantity of fragments from units 1 and 2 are assigned to Layer VII. Layer VIII presents a similar problem, because analysis has shown that the bone fragments from unit 1 belong to Layer VII, those from unit 2 represent Layer VIII, and the unit 3 bones come from Layer IX. The resulting date (S-1765) is in correct stratigraphic order, but it is not associated with a single occupation layer. Layer VIII lacks diagnostic artifacts. The other Layer "VIII" date (S-1766) was obtained on carbonaceous soil from the face of Test profile no. 2. The sample was originally thought to consist of hearth fill, but subsequent excavation failed to confirm the presence of a hearth. S-1766 cannot be specifically related to the site chronology. Layer IX yielded neither diagnostic artifacts nor a radiocarbon sample. Layer X yielded Besant side-notched points as well as a smaller number of Pelican Lake corner-notched points and three radiocarbon dates. S-1767 consisted of bison bone from test profile nos. 2 and 3. Since this was a composite sample requiring correlation with the Layer X occupation, the date was checked by submitting charcoal samples from two Layer X hearths (S-3366 and S-3367). The concordant results can be averaged. Layer XI is a Besant component with two discordant radiocarbon dates. S-2058 was obtained on bison? bone fragments from units 1, 2, 4, and 5. S-3365 was obtained on charcoal from a hearth in unit 1. These two dates are too disimilar to permit averaging. S-3365 is significantly older than dates on underlying layers and therefore is chosen for rejection. Perhaps the charcoal was produced by burning wood that was already several centuries old at the time of the Layer XI occupation.Layer XII produced Sandy Creek points and a radiocarbon date (S-2059) on bison? bone fragments. Layer XIII yielded an unidentified side-notched projectile point and has not been dated. Layer XIV is a Besant component with a radiocarbon date (S-2060) on bison? bone fragments from a hearth. Layers XV-XVIII yielded no diagnostic artifacts, but there is a radiocarbon date (S-1768) on bison? bone fragments from a test profile correlated with Layer XVI. Layer XIX is a Pelican Lake component with a date (S-1769) on bison? bone fragments from a test profile. Layer XX also yielded Pelican Lake points and a date (S-2061) on a bison scapula. Layer XXI is a Hanna component with two discordant dates. S-2062 is on a bison femur from unit 5, whereas S-1770 is on bone fragments from Test profile no. 4. S-1770 was originally reported as 3445 +/- 175 BP but was later recalculated as an older age. In view of this reporting history and the need to correlate from a test profile, S-1770 is rejected in favour of S-2062 for Layer XXI. Underlying Layer XXI is a layer of gravel that yielded a date on wood (S-1979) with no cultural association.

References

• Dyck, 1983
• Dyck and Morlan, 1995
• Harington, 2003: 453
• Morlan, 1993
• Rutherford et al., 1984
• Faunmap 3736