CI[)l1:721 - Memorial University of Newfoundland DAI

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of Quebec. an assemblage "guess dated" to c. 4950 B.P. (Martijn and Rogers
1969).
However, arguments exist regarding the presence of the Shield Archaic
Tradition in the region. Tuck (1984: 40, n.d.) and Turnbull (n.d., q.v. Chapter 1)
have proposed an alternative to Shield Archaic affiliation of Tobique Complex
artifacts. These call for the materials pertaining to the transition between the
Archaic and Ceramic Periods in the region.
Tuck's (n.d.) argument is based upon the criteria used to affiliate the
Tobique Complex with the Shield Archaic. These were the frequency of artifact
classes within the assemblage (Wright 1972: 66-67). Wright (1972: 67)
proposes that, at the Deadman's Pool site, the percentages of scrapers (26.2%)
and biface blades (44.9%) conform to percentages from sites of the Mistassini­
A1banel region of Quebec. However, stylistic differences occur between these
assemblages. There are large straight to expanding-stemmed projectile points
from Dead Man's Pool, while those from Quebec are side-notched. Bifaces
from Quebec do not appear to be as well made as those from New Brunswick,
and Quebec scrapers are smaller and appear to be less completely flaked (Tuck
n.d.).
These differences underline the key problem with the defining characteristics
of the Shield Archaic Tradition. Frequencies of artifact dasses alone are
insufficient as the criterion for determining relationships between assemblages.
The variable forms exhibited by artifacts assigned to this tradition (Wright 1972)