The Archaic Period

The Archaic Period, 6000 to 1000 B.C., represents a technological cultural departure from the earlier Paleolithic period, but generally precedes the use of pottery. A broad range of opinions exist among some archeologists as to exactly when the Paleo-Indian period ended and the Archaic started. Generally, Archaic cultures can be described as semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers who engaged in greater exploitation of local resources than had previously taken place.

As the weather pattern changed from the dry Altithermal period to increased moisture , so did the variety of plants and animals. Early on the Archaic cultures were slow to adapt to the regional environments depending on the availability of food, raw materials, and the ability of the small bands to move around. The small, mobile human groups of pre-ceramic time left little behind them. Eventually the Archaic people adapted a more sedentary lifestyle. Small seasonal camps were utilized to better exploit local game and vegetation resources. Warm weather camps were often located near streams and lakeshores. Winter camps took advantage of sheltered valleys, wooded areas, and caves.

Burials begin appearing during the Archaic and are often located near rivers, on lakeshores or hillsides. A lot of the artifactual evidence from this period was discovered as grave goods associated with burial sites. Early archeology broadly labeled all the prehistoric cultures as "Mound Builders", and it wasn’t until much later that distinctions between the various prehistoric cultures were made.

Tools

In some areas, copper tools and woodworking implements, such as axes and gouges, are in evidence. The Old Copper Culture has become synonymous with the Archaic period, especially in the Northern Great Lakes regions. It appears that worked and unworked copper moved along the water routes out of the Upper Great Lakes region, as similar copper artifacts have been found from Manitoba to New England.

The Archaic Tradition in northern Minnesota, while often associated with copper technology, also yields a common complex of ground and polished stone objects. (Steinbring, 72) The Archaic toolkit consisted of stone tools, including projectile points, scrapers, hammerstones, and knives. Even a rudimentary drill first appeared in the artifact assemblage from this period.(Jennings, 128) Projectile points showed obvious refinements over the Paleo-Indian points. The craftsmanship evolved from percussion techniques, which involved direct blows on the material, to pressure techniques where the flakes were pushed or pried away. The latter form offered more control over the material, and points could be made thinner and lighter. This also afforded better methods of attaching the point to a shaft of some sort. The names of the different projectile points, like Parkdale Eared, Fox River Valley Stemmed, Cross Lake Triangular, and Eastern Triangular, often allude to these refinements.

Plants

Gathering wild plants and vegetables was an important subsistence strategy, as is indicated by the number of seeds and pits located in Archaic hearths. Wild Rice is a traditional food source in Minnesota, and was a central feature to such sites as Petaga Point.

Meat

In Minnesota, the Bison and the White-tailed Deer are the major sources of meat. The Bison were the primary staple on the prairie, while the White-tailed Deer were indigenous to the forest. Aside from meat, both provided dense bone, horns and antlers for tools and possibly ornaments, while the sinew was used for tough cordage or thread, and the hides provided leather for clothing and shelter.

One of the Archaic Sites excavated in Minnesota that is related to bison hunting is the Itasca Bison Kill site in Clearwater County, north central Minnesota.

Sources

Aspects of Upper Great Lakes Anthropology, Papers in honor of Lloyd A. Wilford; Edited by Elden Johnson, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, 1974.

The archaeology of the Snake River Region in Minnesota, Christy A. H. Caine.

Preceramic Archaeology of Northern Minnesota, Jack Steinbring.

An Examination of Within-laurel cultural Variability in Northern Minnesota, James B. Stoltman.

Jennings, Jesse D., Prehistory of North America, Second Edition, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1974.

The Prehistoric Peoples of Minnesota, Elden Johnson, State Archaeologist, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, 1969.

Prehistoric Man in the New World, Papers published from symposium at Rice University, November 1962.

Early Man in the New World, Alex D. Krieger

The Northeast Woodlands Area, James B. Griffin.

The Great Plains, Waldo R. Wedel.

Lake Superior Copper and the Indians: Miscellaneous Studies of Great Lakes Prehistory, Edited by James B. Griffin , Anthropological Papers, No. 17, Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1961.

Skaar, Kent, The Archaic in Minnesota, Student Paper.