Description
Assemblages of radiocarbon dates have been used for inferring population changes, fine-tuning the chronology of specific events, and used in association with diagnostic stone tools to establish chronological markers. However, boreal forest ecosystems of northern Alberta have presented many challenges to using dates for these purposes, including academic neglect, acidic soils that decompose datable material, and the over-extension of typologies from neighboring regions. This study outlines recommendations for successful dating methods in the boreal forest, synthesizes Alberta’s boreal radiocarbon record, and infers changes in Indigenous populations throughout the Pre-contact Period. A total of 220 dated occupations from 135 pre-contact sites in Alberta’s Boreal Forest suggest that populations were very sporadic from about 10,000 cal BP until approximately 6,500 cal BP, then began to rise dramatically around 3,000 cal BP. Populations remained stable from approximately 1,500 cal BP until European contact. We acknowledge that Indigenous populations were heavily impacted as a direct result of European colonization during the Historic Period.
Updated
October 16, 2023
Tags
Title and publication information
Type
Series Title
Series Title
Extent
18 pages
Frequency
Once
Publisher / Creator Information
Creator
Publisher
Arts, Culture and Status of Women
Contributor
Place of Publication
Subject Information
Topic
Resource Dates
Date Created
2023-10-16
Date Added
2023-10-16T15:07:04.815591
Date Modified
2023-10-16
Date Issued
2023-10-16
Audience information
Language
Identifiers
ISBN (pdf)
9781460154113
ISSN (online)
2562-7848
Usage / Licence
Usage Considerations
Each article also published separately between April and September 2022.
Licence
Contact
Contact Name
Archaeological Survey of Alberta