Archaic Indians of the Great Lakes

Time period of the archaic period

10,000-3,000 BP

Environmental change in the archaic period

10,000-8,000 BP: Continental glacier retreat north of Lake Huron

Channel made from Lake Michigan and Huron to Lake Nipissing
River to Ottawa River to St. Lawrence

Low Mi and Huron Water Levels make Lake Chippewa and Stanley

Pine trees predominance

8000-5000 BP: Dry warm weather

hardwood dominance

Former lake water level return

Weather cool= mixed deciderous and coniferous

5000 BP = Modern Character

Early Archaic Period time

10,000 - 8,000 BP

Early Archaic Early Archaic Material Culture

Long parallel side stem + notch thrusting lances, sandstone cremation burial points at Groto site, point variaton changes of West low MI Hi-low points and small basal notch Le Croy points

Early Archaic Lifeways

Big game hunting

Early Archaic locations

Scattered sites mostly in Southern Upper Great Lakes Country with north sites discovered near Deer Lake Marquette

Middle Archaic Time Period

8000 - 5000 BP

Middle Archaic Material Culture

Early: medium size barb + notch points for throwing spears

pecking + grinding hard granitic stone to make axes, adzes, gouges, banner stones. Alongside chert, used to make bone, wood, shell tools

Indirect evidence of well known camping and lifeway tool development

Middle Archaic Lifeways

Stealth forest hunting moose and caribou in the north and deer and elk in the south with throwing spears. Mixed forests likely attracted these animals.

6,000 BP - 5,000 BP: little known, from Weber 1 Frankenmuth site and Saginaw River Drainage sites likely small hunting and gathering bands that hunted both large and small game and ate nuts due to similarity of chert projectile points

Late Archaic Time Period

5,000-3,000 BP

Late Archaic Period Evolution

Gradual Specialization: Increased sedentariness for those relying on plants and plant processing tech, local point styles, and increased local raw material use.

Well known Late Archaic Period sites

St Joseph River Drainage and Saginaw River and Tributaries

St Joseph River Drainage and Saginaw River and Tributaries similarities and differences

Similarites: large game hunting and nuts Travel within territories from food source to food source.

Differences: signs of localization

Late Archaic Trends

Long Distance Trade that informed burial ceremonialism w spatial/temp variations in trade network and ceremonial complex

Location: Nor Ea US/CA

Late Archaic Period Material Culture

Burial

Old Copper

Glacial Kame

Red Ocher

Large pit: single/multiple after cremation burial

Artifact use:

Lake Superior Copper beads, knives, axes

Gulf Of Mexico conch shell beads and gorgets

Turkey Tail Points from Southern IN & IL

NY Triangular Points

Bayport & Norwood MI Points

Local Granite Axes, gorgets, bird forms

Copper Mining/Working Keweenaw Bay Isle Royale 5000 BP 3500 BP

Green Bay Copper Tool Production