On Saturday November 5th several of our senior staff will be reflecting on one of the most important academic syntheses that has come out of Ontario archaeology. Nicknamed the Green Bible, “The Archaeology of Southern Ontario to A.D. 1650” is an anthology that was created by the London Chapter of the OAS in 1990. As its nickname suggests, this volume has become indispensable for anyone working on Indigenous archaeology in Ontario. Now that the volume is 25 years old, we are taking the time to reflect upon what could be updated, rethought or preserved in the original publication.
Rob Macdonald will present a paper with Paul Karrow, whose original contribution on the geo-physical and bio-physical history of southern Ontario has served as the theoretical basis for many subsequent works on the topic. In this paper, they recap the genesis and contributions of the original article and highlight some of the work that has built on it over the past quarter century.
Rob Pihl and James Connolly will present a paper on the development of our understanding of Early and Middle Woodland archaeology in Ontario over the last 25 years. The marked increase in the number of sites that have been excavated since the 1990s has both strengthened and challenged certain assertions from the Green Bible.
And finally, Ron Williamson will present a paper on the Iroquoian period, focusing on the transition period between 1000-1300 AD, a time in Ontario history that is still relatively unknown. Ron will discuss the new research and methodologies that have developed over the last two decades that are helping to shed light on this period.
This session is a very important one for precontact Ontario archaeology. Some of our best scholars will be reflecting on our shared academic heritage and the direction we want our discipline to move in the future. Come be a part of this discussion!
