Seasonal Variation in Fishing Strategies at Two Iroquoian Village Sites Near Lake Simcoe, Ontario

Authors: Needs-Howarth, Suzanne¹; Thomas, Stephen Cox²

Source: Environmental Archaeology, Volume 3, June 1998 , pp. 109-120(12)

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Abstract:

In this paper we present an analysis of fish bones from the Barrie and Dunsmore sites, two pre-contact Iroquoian longhouse villages located between Lake Simcoe, and Georgian Bay of Lake Huron, Ontario. We use a combination of fish biology, habitat and spawning data to interpret when and where different fish species were obtained. After identifying co-occurrences of species in major features at each site, we suggest the existence of three fisheries complexes. There is some overlap in species composition between these complexes. In an attempt to distinguish between them, we also investigate probable technique and time of capture through fish bone size distribution. We use our findings to identify inter- and intra-site differences in fish procurement.

Keywords: GREAT LAKES; FISH PROCUREMENT; IROQUOIAN; ZOOARCHAEOLOGY; SEASONALITY

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/146141098790523631

Affiliations: 1: Groninger Instituut voor Archaeologie, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Poststraat 6, 9712 ER, Groningen, The Netherlands;, Email: s.needs@sympatico.ca 2: Bioarchaeological Research, 243 Queensdale Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4C 2B3, Canada

Publication date: 1998-06-01

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