Speaker: Dr. Rob Losey
One of the largest archaeological collections ever excavated from Saskatchewan comes from the Lake Midden site (EfNg-1) near Last Mountain Lake. This site was occupied from ~AD 1500 to 1800, and its collections are dominated by Woodland pottery, hundreds of projectile points and bone tools, and, of course, bison remains. Researchers from the University of Alberta and the University of Alberta are now comprehensively analyzing these collections. Hundreds of bone gaming pieces may be the most interesting component of the Lake Midden assemblage. These bone pieces were parts of dart-like implements that historically were used in a game played on the ice or snow. The presentation describes the analyses of these compelling objects and their contexts and our efforts to better understand the game by collaborating with the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council Elders.