A woman buried in Canada in the Pre-Columbian North America era

LU-06
Portrait reconstruction
Disclaimer: The portrait shown is a speculative reconstruction and not the actual face of the ancient sample. It represents an artistic interpretation based on archaeological data.
Specimen Details
Sample ID:
LU-06
Date:
1200 CE - 1450 CE
Biological Sex:
Female
mtDNA:
C1d1a1
Y-DNA:
Not applicable
Cultural Period:
Arctic Small Tool Tradition, Canada
Location
Country:
Canada
Locality:
Lucier. Southwestern Ontario
Coordinates:
42.2167, -83.0667
Map Location
Historical Timeline
Description

The Arctic Small Tool Tradition (ASTt) represents a pivotal era in the prehistory of Arctic North America, roughly dating from about 2500 BCE to 500 CE. The ASTt is primarily associated with the Paleo-Arctic Tradition, an archaeological classification that denotes one of the earliest cultural adaptations to the harsh environments of the Arctic region, particularly in what is now Northern Canada and parts of Alaska.

Geographic and Temporal Context

The ASTt spanned a vast geographic area that included the high Arctic regions of Alaska, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and parts of Greenland. Emerging around 2500 BCE, this tradition continued until approximately 500 CE, marking it as a significant cultural phase that bridged the gap between earlier Paleo-Indigenous groups and later cultures like the Dorset and Thule.

Cultural and Technological Characteristics

The ASTt is characterized by its distinctive small stone tool assemblage. These tools were finely crafted and included microblades, burins, and scrapers made from materials such as chert, quartz, and obsidian. The hallmark of the ASTt is its efficient toolkit designed for maximum versatility in hunting, processing, and fabricating other tools or clothing. This speaks to the adaptive strategies of small, highly mobile groups that relied on these tools for survival in the Arctic's challenging environments.

Tools and Technology

  • Microblades: Small, razor-sharp blades used as insets in bone or antler handles.
  • Burin-like tools: Used for engraving or carving hard materials.
  • End scrapers and side scrapers: Essential for processing hides and other organic materials.

These tools underpin a subsistence strategy well-suited to the Arctic's seasonal cycles, focusing heavily on hunting sea mammals, caribou, and exploiting other marine resources.

Subsistence and Lifestyle

The people of the ASTt were predominantly hunter-gatherers, exhibiting a considerable degree of mobility throughout the Arctic landscape. Their subsistence practices were highly adapted to the seasonalities of Arctic life. During the winters, groups would hunt seals on the sea ice, while in the summers, they would focus on caribou and fishing. This cyclical movement would have facilitated both resource acquisition and social exchange, allowing groups to share information and goods across vast distances.

Housing and Settlement Patterns

Evidence suggests that ASTt groups lived in temporary, semi-subterranean structures, which provided insulation against the harsh Arctic climate. These dwellings were small and indicative of relatively small, kin-based groups living together. The seasonal movement is also evident in the archaeological record, where sites are often located near resources like animal migration paths or coastal areas advantageous for hunting sea mammals.

Social and Cultural Aspects

Although the harsh environment left little in terms of preserved organic material, the ASTt is marked by its continuity and adaptability. The social structure would have likely been organized around family or kinship groups, with a culture geared to share resources and knowledge critical for survival. The gradual shift and adaptation of these tools and technologies into subsequent cultures testify to a rich tradition of innovation and resilience.

Significance and Legacy

The ASTt is crucial for understanding the peopling of the North American Arctic. It represents an important cultural and technological bridge between the earliest Arctic inhabitants and the cultures that followed. The ASTt's influence is visible in subsequent traditions such as the Dorset and Thule, each of which would continue to adapt and thrive in the Arctic environment.

This tradition's adaptation strategies and technological innovations are invaluable to the archaeological narrative of human resilience and perseverance in one of the planet’s most extreme environments. The ASTt exemplifies how human populations can ingeniously adapt to even the most challenging habitats, weaving their cultural legacy into the broader story of humanity's expansion and survival.

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LU-02 Arctic Small Tool Tradition, Canada 1200 CE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
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LU-03 1200 CE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
LU-05 1200 CE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
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PS-04 100 CE Point Sal. CA, USA View
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PS-18 100 CE Point Sal. CA, USA View
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SC-02 700 CE San Clemente Island. CA, USA View
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SC-04 1039 CE San Clemente Island. CA, USA View
SC-05 775 CE San Clemente Island. CA, USA View
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SN-09 3700 BCE California. San Nicolas Island, USA View
SN-10 3700 BCE California. San Nicolas Island, USA View
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SN-56 3650 BCE California. San Nicolas Island, USA View
SN-57 3650 BCE California. San Nicolas Island, USA View
SN-58 3650 BCE California. San Nicolas Island, USA View
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SN-60 2835 BCE California. San Nicolas Island, USA View
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Sample ID Culture/Period Date Location Action
CK-13 Arctic Small Tool Tradition, Canada 2914 BCE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
CK-09 Arctic Small Tool Tradition, Canada 1458 CE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
LU-06 Arctic Small Tool Tradition, Canada 1200 CE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
CK-10 Arctic Small Tool Tradition, Canada 1200 CE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
LU-03 Arctic Small Tool Tradition, Canada 1200 CE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
LU-02 Arctic Small Tool Tradition, Canada 1200 CE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
LU-05 Arctic Small Tool Tradition, Canada 1200 CE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
LU-01 Arctic Small Tool Tradition, Canada 1200 CE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
CK-03 Arctic Small Tool Tradition, Canada 1223 CE Lucier. Southwestern Ontario, Canada View
Ancient Genetic Admixture

Ancient genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (LU-06) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles ancient populations from different geographic regions.

Ancient Native Americans 54%
Ancient Asians 33%
Western Steppe Pastoralists 10%
Neolithic Farmers 4%
Modern Genetic Admixture

Modern genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (LU-06) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles modern populations from different geographic regions.

These results complement the ancient ancestry components shown in the previous section, offering a different perspective on the individual's genetic profile by comparing it with modern reference populations rather than prehistoric ancestral groups.

America 69%
America 69%
Native American 68.5%
Asia 30%
Northern Asian 12%
Siberian 12.4%
Central Asian, Northern Indian & Pakistani 11%
Indian 11.3%
Chinese & Southeast Asian 6%
Chinese 5.8%
Japanese & Korean 0%
Africa 2%
African Hunter-Gatherer 2%
African Hunter-Gatherer 1.9%
Oceania 0%
Melanesian 0%
G25 Coordinates

The G25 coordinates for the sample LU-06 are as follows. You can analyze its admixture using G25 Studio.

LU-06,0.05731356,-0.2769063,0.08167786,0.09102354,-0.10104374,-0.00582156,-0.22695924,-0.26684022,-0.0052178,-0.01118206,0.00405408,-0.00057686,0.00168992,0.01457518,-0.00879828,0.00083716,0.0045569,0.00582454,0.00340972,-0.00089988,-0.00228504,0.00629362,-0.00158864,0.00052412,-0.00071672
Analyze it in G25 Studio
Scientific Papers References
Ancient human parallel lineages within North America contributed to a coastal expansion
Authors:
Scheib CL, Li H, Desai T
Abstract:

Little is known regarding the first people to enter the Americas and their genetic legacy. Genomic analysis of the oldest human remains from the Americas showed a direct relationship between a Clovis-related ancestral population and all modern Central and South Americans as well as a deep split separating them from North Americans in Canada. We present 91 ancient human genomes from California and Southwestern Ontario and demonstrate the existence of two distinct ancestries in North America, which possibly split south of the ice sheets. A contribution from both of these ancestral populations is found in all modern Central and South Americans. The proportions of these two ancestries in ancient and modern populations are consistent with a coastal dispersal and multiple admixture events.

Link:
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