Overview of the 1991 Field Season
by
Luc Nolin
NOGAP Archaeologist
Canadian Museum of Civilization


Summary of the work carried out in 1991

This report details the results of the archaeological investigations at MlTk2 (Vidiitshuu/Trout Lake) and MlTk-16 (Lure Lake). Excavations at the extensive MlTk-2 site took place in four separate areas. This work revealed a culturally and chronologically complex record of use of the locality. The excavation of the collapsed conical pole structure at Lure Lake provided us with a glimpse of a style of architecture which is poorly represented in the southwest Anderson Plain. The unexpected stratigraphic complexity of this site attests to the very severe problems posed by the re-occupation of sites in the Subarctic when attempting to interpret living floors.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr. Jean-Luc Pilon, the NOGAP Archaeology Project coordinator, for his precious advice during the planning of the excavations that I directed at MlTk-2. I would also like thank him for the stimulating discussions that we have had about the archaeology of the Mackenzie River, and for sharing his thoughts and ideas during our fieldwork. I also wish to express to him my profound gratitude for his coolness and good judgement in getting me to medical help this summer following an accident which could have cost me the use of an eye.

I also wish to warmly thank all the member of my field crew for the quality of their work. Je tiens aussi à remercier chaleureusement tous les membres de 1'équipe de fouille pour la qualité de leur travail.

It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the precious help of Mr. Gary White, director of the Inuvik Research Laboratory, as well that of Mr. Les Kutny, the Laboratory's technician. I am also grateful to Mr. Don Baryluk and the employees of Inuvik's Northern Stores for assistance in providing us with the food required for our two months in the bush.

And finally, I would like to thank Mrs. Sylvie Ledoux and Mr. David Laverie and Mr. Luke McCarthy for their invaluable help during the preparation of the field gear and the purchase of equipment which preceeded our departure for the field.