| dc.description.abstract | This thesis addresses experimental investigation of magnetic susceptibility and the
utility of the Terraplus KT-10 magnetic susceptibility meter to characterize subarctic
archaeological deposits. The Hogarth Tree Farm, outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario, was chosen
as an experimental locale due to its relatively undisturbed and remote context. A grid was
established, and preliminary test excavation done to assess the sediments and context. Using
experimental firing events designed to reproduce the firing activities of precontact subarctic
Indigenous people, natural sediments were heated, and the temperatures and fire duration
were recorded. This sought to reveal how firing affected the sediment’s magnetic susceptibility
and whether its detection might have utility in documenting and interpreting what are often
‘invisible’ archaeological features.
This thesis addressed four research questions: 1) Did the experimental firing events
enhance the magnetic susceptibility; 2) What was the minimum temperature needed to change
the magnetic susceptibility signature of the natural soil/sediment; 3) What level of
interpretation could be made from the magnetic susceptibility data; and 4) How effectively did
the Terraplus KT-10 detect this change? Through my experiments, I found that the firing
experiments performed were able to enhance the magnetic susceptibility of the sediments.
This study has research implications for archaeological investigations throughout much
of the Canadian subarctic. Due to the generally acidic nature of boreal forest sediments, organic
archaeological evidence is frequently destroyed over time, including bones, shells, charcoal and
ash. | en_US |
