Northeast Subsistence-Settlement Change: A.D. 700 –1300

in Ontario was Middle Woodland-derived
Midwestern Twelve-Row corn. Midwestern Twelve-
Row corn was thought to be similar to the contemporary
Chapalote corn of the Southwest. This is incorrect
for two reasons: first, corn was rare during the Middle
Woodland and the few extant examples cannot be classified
(Fritz 1990); and second, Eastern Eight-Row corn
normally includes 12-rowed cobs anyway (Conard et
al. 1984; Crawford and Smith 1995; Crawford et al.
1997a; Fritz 1990).
For the moment, our working hypothesis is that
Eastern Eight-Row maize developed in the Northeast,
but the record for maize before 800 B.P. is inadequate to
resolve how this type of corn appeared here (Fritz
1990). The recovery of corn remains in the second half
of the second millennium B.P. is relevant to understanding
not only the role of corn in early post-Middle
Woodland Ontario, but to the evolution of the Eastern
Eight-Row type of corn that was critical to northern
Iroquoian horticulture.
Based on this evidence, our hypothetical scenario for
the introduction of corn horticulture to southern
Ontario is as follows. The cultigen itself was introduced
through Princess Point communities, either by
migration or diffusion, by as early as cal A.D. 500-600,
but probably not much earlier than this considering the
dates from areas to the south (Crawford et al. 1997a).
At this time, we suggest that limited cultivation was
practiced, coinciding with the development of the large
river bar sites like Grand Banks. Cultivation gained in
intensity so that, by 1,000 years ago, Princess Point
society was dependent on food production as a subsistence
regime, accompanying the development of more
centered communities exemplified by Lone Pine and
Porteous.
CONCLUSIONS
Southern Ontario provides an example of secondary
agricultural origins, particularly in a north temperate
region. Other important examples include
northern Europe and Japan as well as the U.S.
Southwest. This paper has sought to outline the extent
to which research on the Princess Point Complex is
helping us come to understand the local historical trajectory
as well as the extent to which the development
of the Ontario Iroquoian mixed economy shares characteristics
with other regions of secondary agricultural
origins.
Pre-A.D. 800-900 Princess Point is critical to the
issues at hand, and until now, our knowledge of this
period was based almost entirely on the examination of
two small riverbank test excavations on the Grand
River by David Stothers in the 1970s. Our developing
views are based on excavations at four sites, including
one that Stothers tested (Grand Banks) and the application
of methodologies not previously employed in an
integrated fashion at Princess Point sites, or many
other sites in the province for that matter. The field and
laboratory methodologies being employed are providing
exceptionally fine-grained data with which we
have little to compare in the Northeast for this time
period. Wider application of these techniques in a
research-oriented context is encouraged.
A series of AMS and regular radiocarbon dates aid
the interpretation of the complex stratigraphy at Grand
Banks, assist the establishment of a more rigorously
defined chronology, and associate corn with the
Princess Point Complex. We also have a new pottery
analysis and a preliminary revised chronology from
A.D. 500 to 1100. A detailed database of over 80 sites is
beginning to tell us much about settlement circumstances
during this period. Princess Point was, indeed,
the founding agricultural group in the Grand River
Valley, based on the presence of corn in some quantities
at all three sites we have tested in detail. We now also
have evidence for the range of wild plants used by
Princess Point peoples. Unfortunately, bone is poorly
preserved at our sites, but we have slowly put together
a small, analyzable collection of animal bone. A wide
range of taxa with a large number of fish is represented.
We have undertaken a functional analysis of stone
tools, which is giving us a look at the interrelationships
between technology and the shift to food production.
We have experimented with residue analysis on pottery.
In addition, we have conducted the normal analysis
of a large body of artifacts.
We are getting a somewhat better understanding of
variation within Princess Point, but this is a long-term
goal that will focus more clearly as research continues.
We have a preliminary chronological order, based on
pottery seriation, for the many sites in our area. We are
comparing two regions, the Hamilton area and the
Grand River Basin. As for testing hypotheses regarding
agricultural origins in our area, this is proving, not surprisingly,
complex. We are making headway testing
these ideas, but the test will take time, particularly our
assessment of settlement pattern and population. In
secondary origins models, diffusion, assimilation, and
migration are key concepts. For Ontario, each has been
adopted and rejected at various times. At the moment,
we are not prepared to rule out any of the three
processes. In particular, there is some reason to assert
Chapter 5 Recent Developments in the Archaeology of the Princess Point Complex in Southern Ontario 113