Exploring Métis Landscapes: A Historic Archaeo-geophysical Study of Métis Sites

Abstract

Métis archaeological sites are heavily understudied, and when they have been studied in the past the focus was often on Métis material culture. This thesis looks at Métis sites themselves through the lens of landscape archaeology, utilizing a variety of different archaeological techniques. I investigate the ways in which the Métis organized and laid out their sites both within the constriction of colonial land parcels and in more open spaces while on buffalo hunts. To do this I compare the layout of a Métis River Lot site in St. Albert, Alberta—River Lots 23 & 24 (FjPj-107)—with the overwintering site Chimney Coulee (DjOe-6) in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan. I use a combination of geophysical technologies and historical records supported by excavations to determine the layouts of these two sites. The resulting site layout maps are then compared to various other Métis sites that have been archaeologically studied to look for patterns and broader implications about the ways Métis sites are influenced by Métis cultural values like geography, mobility, kinship, and the practice of visiting. Throughout this thesis, I argue for the increased use of remote sensing and geophysical technologies like LiDAR, multispectral imagery, ground penetrating radar, and magnetic gradiometry for studying Indigenous sites in less invasive manners than traditional archaeology. I also highlight the benefit of combining these technologies with historical records when available to get the best overview of a site possible. Lastly, after comparing River Lots 23 & 24 and Chimney Coulee to other known Métis sites, I argue that the layouts of Métis sites are influenced by cultural values, particularly kinship and the practice of visiting—a practice that continues to be important in contemporary Métis communities.