Geophysical Surveys and Spatial Analysis: Late Prehistoric Period Site Patterning at the Junction Site (DkPi-2)
Date
2020-06-18
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
To understand the bigger picture of how people organized their space in Late Prehistoric Period camps, we need to look at large areas and examine the feature placement as people define the space around them. While excavations are often limited to small areas due to time and cost, geophysical surveys provide a method of examining large areas of a site relatively quickly and at relatively low cost. Extensive geophysical surveys at the Junction Site (DkPi-2) examined 7.9 hectares with magnetometry and 1 hectare with ground penetrating radar, revealing several types of anomalies in various configurations extending across large portions of the site. Within the magnetic data, anomaly groups form clusters, lines, and other arrangements that hint at the underlying spatial organization of activities at Junction. Excavation by Lifeways of Canada, Ltd. in 2017 and 2018 confirmed several anomalies as archaeological, revealing hearths, roasting pits, piles of fire broken rock, and other features. Anomalies are assessed using spatial analysis methods to identify patterns and clustering, connecting anomaly groups to potential archaeological feature arrangements. In addition, matrix samples from archaeological features and exposed profiles provide a geoarchaeological background to the site, improving the interpretation of the magnetic surveys by characterizing feature types in terms of magnetic susceptibility, particle size, loss on ignition, conductivity, and pH. Archaeological feature patterning at Junction varies depending on the area of the site and its underlying use: processing camp areas have a denser concentration of magnetic anomalies, linear patterns, and anomaly pairs, while winter domestic camp areas have fewer anomalies, but regularly spaced linear alignments. The linear alignments in the winter camp areas most likely represent internal lodge hearths with the lodges aligned parallel to topographic features. This project demonstrates the applicability of magnetometry on Northwestern Plains sites as well as the presence of patterning at Junction (DkPi-2) during the Late Prehistoric Period. Combined with the excavation data, the patterns hint at the spatial organization of the site and provide clues to the use of space by Old Women’s phase people in winter campsites and processing camps.
Description
Keywords
Northern Plains, Late Prehistoric Period, Geophysics, Archaeogeophysics, Magnetometry, Ground Penetrating Radar, GPR, Spatial Analysis, Old Women's Phase, Junction Site (DkPi-2), Northwestern Plains
Citation
Patton, M. M. (2020). Geophysical Surveys and Spatial Analysis: Late Prehistoric Period Site Patterning at the Junction Site (DkPi-2) (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.