ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN NO. 36 THE NAOMIKONG POINT SITE AND THE DIMENSIONS OF LAUREL IN THE LAKE SUPERIOR REGION BY DONALD E. JANZEN ANN ARBOR THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, 1968 © 1968 by the Regents of the University of Michigan The Museum of Anthropology All rights reserved ISBN (print): 978-0-932206-34-3 ISBN (ebook): 978-1-951519-34-6 Browse all of our books at sites.lsa.umich.edu/archaeology-books. Order our books from the University of Michigan Press at www.press.umich.edu. For permissions, questions, or manuscript queries, contact Museum publications by email at umma- [email protected] or visit the Museum website at lsa.umich.edu/ummaa. PREFACE ON August 12, 1967, an archaeological crew from the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology returned to Ann Arbor. They were bearded, dirty, and tired. This was the final chapter in two seasons of excavations at the Naomikong Point site on the south shore of Lake Superior. By July 8, 1968, the enormous quantity of material which had been recovered at Naomikong Point was washed, catalogued, and analyzed, and the site report was written. The gap between the dirty archaeologist and the final manu script is filled with a large number of hard-working people whose efforts hastened the completion of the task. While only my name is attached to this manuscript I would like to acknowledge these individuals and express my thanks for their services. The fol lowing students at the University of Michigan were enrolled in the Museum Techniques Program and provided invaluable assist ance; Jan Carline, Peter Doren, Michael Gilmartin, Anita Fahringer, Jane Hartough, Jane Hollander, Roberta Lev, Melinda Main, Collean McLean, Andrea Moore, Elaine Pearson, Richard Redding, Diane Saltz, Elizabeth Taylor, Lyn Wiley, and Mary Lynn Woodruff. Miss Bea Bigony washed and catalogued the ma terial from the 1966 excavations, Mrs. Vickie Rosenblum and Mr. Jan Carline analyzed the flint chippage and Mr. Dan Caister analyzed the historic material. Mr. Burton Barnard of Wayne state University drew the site map and Mr. George Stuber direct ed the photographic work. I wish to thank the members of my Doctoral committee for directing me in my research and for valuable criticism of the manuscript. My chairman Dr. James E. Fitting, and Dr. James B. Griffin, of the Museum of Anthropology, were particularly helpful in this respect. I take full responsibility, however, for any errors or shortcomings. Frances Steketee typed the rough draft and final copy of the dissertation. This one simple sentence hardly does justice to the important role played by Miss Steketee. Mrs. Joanne Bailis edited the manuscript and Misses Elizabeth Keller and Barbara Becker proofread the final copy. Finally, I wish to thank Martha, my Wife, whose patience and support is deeply appreciated. This research was supported by the National Science Founda tion Grant (GS-1486). iii Contents I. Introduction. • • • • • . • . • . • • • • • . • . . . . . . . • • • • • •• 1 II. University of Michigan Excavations at the Naomikong Point Site . . • . . . . • • • • . • • • • • • . . . • . . . • • • • • • •• 15 III. Description of Archaeological Material. . . . . • • • • • . •• 35 IV. Interpretation of Archaeological Material • . • • • . . • • .. 73 V. Northern Middle Woodland Relationships. . . . . • • . • . •. 95 Appendix I. Chi-Square Tables for Ceramic Attribute Associations .. 111 II. Correlation Coefficients Over .80 for Artifact and Non-artifact Relationships .•....••.•......••.•.. 115 References ••..••••.••••••••••.••••••.•••••••• 117 v I INTRODUCTION HISTORY OF INVESTIGATIONS N AOMIKONG Point and Menekaunee Point are twin points of land on the south shore of Lake Superior in the Upper Penin sula of Michigan. They are located in section 9 (T.47N, R.5W) of Bay Mills Township in Chippewa County. Although these are two distinct points, they are situated at the end of a larger point and the entire area is commonly called Naomikong Point (Fig. 1 and 2). The presence of an archaeological site in this region has been known for many years by both professional archaeolo gists and local amateurs. The earliest reference to Naomikong Point as an archaeological site appears in W. B. Hinsdale's Archaeological Atlas of Michigan (1931). Emerson F. Greenman surveyed the area east of Naomikong Point in the vicinity of Iro quois Island in 1939 and visited the site at that time. No exca vations were conducted and only a few sherds were collected from the beach (Greenman, personal communication). In 1963 the site was reintroduced to archaeologists by Mr. Charles S. Taylor of Newberry, Michigan. Recognizing the poten tial of the site, he contacted George I. Quimby of the Chicago Natural History Museum regarding possible excavation. The next fall Taylor took Quimby to the area and showed him collections from the site. This stimulated new interest, and in the spring of 1965 Quimby and James E. Fitting of the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology planned a joint survey of the site. On the evening of June 18, 1965, James E. Fitting and I, represent ing the University of Michigan, met with George Quimby and James Getz of the Chicago Natural History Museum in Paradise, Michigan to review plans for the survey. It was necessary to apply for permission to dig a test trench since the site is within the Hiawatha National Forest and federal laws prohibit excavation without a permit. Unfortunately the application had not been processed by the time of this meeting, and it was therefore de cided to limit the survey to a surface collection from the beach, and an underwater collection from the lake. The next day the survey team proceeded to the site accompanied by a group of 1