The Minnesota Archaeologist
Volume 60 2001
5 Anna Morrow: The Society and the Journal, Part 1: The Early Years
This is the first installment in which we dig into the records -- minutes, correspondence, and the journals -- and without too much comment, present excerpts, as written, in hopes of capturing the way in which things were then perceived. During the 1930s the minutes are written by hand and each recorder is unique.
13 Fred A. Finney: An Introduction to the Northwestern Archaeological Survey by Theodore H. Lewis
This paper accompanies the reprinting of the Theodore H. Lewis summary of the Northwestern Archaeological Survey (NAS), a 16-page pamphlet published in 1898. Archaeologists working in the Upper Mississippi River valley have long been familiar with the late nineteenth-century NAS, sponsored by Alfred J. Hill of St. Paul, Minnesota. Lewis was the NAS field archaeologist. In its regional extent and duration, the NAS comprised the largest privately funded archaeological project ever undertaken in this country. By number of mounds recorded, the bulk of the NAS fieldwork took place in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa. Lesser attention was directed to sites in other Midwestern localities. Unfortunately, Hill's death in 1895 ended NAS funding. Final publication of the entire survey results never took place and left the NAS as an odd dead end in the history of American archaeology. Lewis lived in St. Paul for another decade, making a midlife career switch to historian. During this interval Lewis told his story in the brief NAS summary. Although today this NAS pamphlet is generally unavailable -- and largely forgotten -- it served an important function in the history of American archaeology by ensuring that Hill and Lewis received proper credit for their work.
31 W. Raymond Wood and Douglas A. Birk: Pierre-Charles Le Sueur's 1702 Map of the Mississippi River
As part of the three hundredth anniversary of Le Sueur's last North American voyage, this paper re-examine the history, content, and scholarly value of his 1702 map of the Minnesota area. The map helps demonstrate how and when French colonials acquired their knowledge of people and places in the midcontinent, and it also helps frame ideas that may be tested archaeologically, In those areas of the world subjected to French colonialism, including Minnesota, early French maps and written records can be used by archaeologists to develop historical contexts, to reconstruct early natural environments and cultural processes, and to find and identify sites. According to Le Sueur's records, one site that awaits discovery in south-central Minnesota is the remains of Fort L'Huillier, a short lived outpost he established in 1700 when exploring and trading in that region.
37 Donna L. Stubbs and Charles O. Diesen: A History of the Archaeological Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society
This paper describes the archaeological collection at the Minnesota Historical Society from its beginnings in 1849 to the present. Important contributions by individuals such as Newton Winchell, J.V. Brower, T.H. Lewis, John Callender, and Allan Woolworth are noted. The history of MHS includes exciting projects such as the Quetico-Superior Underwater Research Project and the Fort Snelling excavations. Large and small collections, including Fur Trade-era items and the Fort Poualak Pot, are discussed. The current status of the collections is also described, including size and scope as well as storage and access.
45 Richard M. Rothaus: Surface Survey and Landscape Archaeology at Mille Lacs Kathio
Surface survey was conducted in 1997 and 1998 in the are of Mille Lacs Kathio to investigate the history of the region using the approach of landscape archaeology. The focus of the work was not the identification of discrete sites but an understanding of long term human-environmental interaction in the region. The survey collected material in units prescribed by ecotope boundaries and noted a predilection for prehistoric activity at the junctures between the wetland ecotope and mixed hardwood and conifer ecotopes. Euroamerican activity was confined largely to areas with former concentrations of white pine, both for logging and then homesteading on clear-cut land.
55 Patricia M. Emerson and Michael A. Magner: Scott's Road: Archaeology at Mud-Goose Wildlife Management Area, Cass County, Minnesota
The Mud-Goose Wildlife Management Area in northeaster Cass County, Minnesota is known to contain numerous archaeological sites. Among them is the Scott site (21CA001), one of the type sites for Sandy Lake Ware. In the summer of 2000, a plan to upgrade parking areas and roads in the WMA was reviewed to determine its potential effect on the Scott site and other historic properties. Extensive archival research and ground-truthing allowed for clarification of the actual locations of previously recorded sites in the vicinity. One previously undocumented archaeological property was also identified. It was determined that development has not seriously compromised the integrity of the Scott site, and that the site in all likelihood retains the qualities that led to a determination of NRHP eligibility in 1977.
71 Stephen L. Mulholland and David Woodward: Pauline Lake Site: A Selkirk Occupation in Northeastern Minnesota
In 1987, the Pauline Lake site (09-09-06-112) was excavated by archaeologists from the Superior National Forest. The excavation was conducted as part of the initial test program for public archaeology in the Superior national Forest. This program eventually became known nationally as Passport in Time. The excavation uncovered a single component Selkirk occupation containing ceramics associated with the Winnipeg River Complex. Analysis of the artifact distribution around the site's only feature, a fire hearth, indicates a short term occupation with definable activity areas. Inferences derived from the artifact distribution suggest possible gender based assignments to these activity areas and the potential for future research in that area.
87 Michael Magner: The Lake of the Woods/Rainy River Late Paleoindian Complex: an Initial Assessment from the Rainy River Region in Minnesota
Approximately 35 lanceolate points, as well as several bifaces, unifaces, and other lithic implements of likely Late Paleoindian age, are known from the Rainy River region of northern Koochiching and northeastern Lake of the Woods Counties, Minnesota. The artifacts, collected from six locations on the U.S. side of the Rainy River between Rainy Lake and Lake of the Woods are described and the technological characteristics and geomorphic settings of the collections are discussed. Attributes that may characterize the recently introduced Lake of the Woods/Rainy River Complex are suggested.
99 Dan Wendt: Hopewell-Related, Middle Woodland Habitation Sites in Pierce and Pepin Counties, Wisconsin
This paper documents 39 small Middle Woodland habitation sites along rivers and streams in the upland interior of Pierce and Pepin counties in Wisconsin. Together these sites have evidence of low-level, two-way participation in the Hopewell exchange network between the Northern Plains and the center of Havana Hopewell exchange network in Illinois. Exotic lithic materials at these sites include Burlington Chert and Cobdon/Dongola Chert from Illinois and Iowa and obsidian, Knife River Flint, and Tongue River Silica from the Northern Plains.
111 James E. Myster and Christopher J. Evans: Application of a rural Domicile Proxemics Model to a Late-Nineteenth-to-Early-Twentieth-Century General Store and Associated Houses in the City of Eden Prairie, Minnesota
From May 1, 1997 to June 11, 1997, data recovery investigations were conducted by Hamline University at the late nineteenth and early twentieth century Miller Brothers Store site and associated houses within the Eden Prairie Archaeological District (21HE222). Fieldwork concentrated on documenting the Millers' use of the area behind the store and attached house. In addition to the research questions focusing upon the relationship of the Millers to the surrounding community, a broader examination was conducted of the use of domestic space by humans. specifically, researchers compared archaeological results to a generalized rural domicile yard proxemics model forwarded by Moir (1987).
119 Brian N. Klawiter: Geochemical-Geoarchaeological Provenance of Prairie du Chien Chert
A number of investigators have successfully addressed the problem of geoarchaeological provenance using geochemical data and statistical analysis. In particular, several such studies have looked at chert, which is a common lithic material used by many prehistoric cultures. However, these previous studies have focused nearly completely upon problems on inter-formational provenance, not intra-formational provenance. To assess the potential for intra-formational geochemical provenance techniques, an investigation was made of chert from the Prairie du Chien group in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Statistical techniques such as Discriminant Analysis and Principal Component Analysis were applied to data obtained by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. This study indicates that there is some potential for provenance based upon elemental trends within the formation, though the statistical approaches used for inter-formational provenance studies will not necessarily work for an intra-formational study. Limited success at identifying geochemical trends within the Prairie du Chien cherts suggests how, and in what types of situations, the techniques may be successful for other chert-bearing formations.
131 Joseph McFarlane and David Mather: Stinking Lake and the Promise of Island Archaeology in Minnesota
Stinking Lake in Becker County illustrates the incredible research potential of island archaeological sites in Minnesota. A single excavation unit at 21BK92 produced 248 artifacts spanning the middle Archaic to Initial Woodland transition. Of particular interest are two "humpback" scrapers and one Hanna point, all of Knife River Flint. The Stinking Lake excavation was conducted as part of investigations of islands administered by the Bureau of Land Management throughout Minnesota. Other findings from those studies are also summarized, with preliminary discussion of potential archaeological island localities in St. Louis and Kandiyohi counties.
137 Kevin L. Callahan: Dakota Sacred Stones and Spirit Island, Mille Lacs, Minnesota: The Boulder Island that Moves
The historic period Dakota considered stones that moved to be sacred. The painting of boulders and the leaving of offerings at boulders was an important part of religious ritual. This article looks at Spirit Island in Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota in relationship to these beliefs and describes why it was, and still is, significant as a boulder island that appears to move when the barometric pressure changes.
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