The archaeology and taphonomy of the Heron Eden site, southwestern Saskatchewan
Date
1995
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ORCID
Type
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
Heron Eden (EeOi-11) is a Cody complex bison kill-butchery site located in southwestern Saskatchewan. The bison bone has been radiocarbon dated to approximately 9000 years ago. This site, along with neighboring sites of similar age such as the Dunn, Niska, Napao, and Fletcher sites, are located in similar environments with a semi-arid climate, grassland vegetation, and soil formed on sandy sediments of glacial origin.
The site is located on a small knoll in a cultivated field on the northwestern periphery of the Great Sand Hills. It is situated near the periphery of a small glacial lake basin in an area identified as a glaciolacusterine delta. Cultivation has reduced both the horizontal and vertical extent of the bone bed. Excavations were initiated in an attempt to salvage a portion of the remaining intact bone bed. Overall, the general preservation of the faunal material was poor. The analysis of the faunal assemblage was undertaken to determine the degree to which the bone bed composition and distribution could be attributed to intention cultural activity.
The Heron Eden site represents the most northern Cody complex site yet found on the Great Plains. The limited reconstruction of the procurement strategy exhibited at the site generally corresponds to the patterns observed at other Paleoindian bison kill-butchery sites.
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Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Department
Anthropology and Archaeology
Program
Anthropology and Archaeology