Paleobotanical Studies at The Forks: Analysis of Seeds, Charcoal and other Organic Remains

Shay, C.Thomas, S. Coyston, H. Isfeld, M. Waddell, and D.M. Deck

This is a study of thirty-five soil samples, from Parks Canada’s excavation at The Forks in 1984 and 1988. The purpose of this paper is to determine what plants were growing at The Forks, and how they were used. The study is divided into two periods: BC 4000 to AD 1780, then AD 1780 to the present. The article discusses the Methods used (vegetation survey, collection of sediment samples, processing and data analysis); Environment and Plant Resources (vegetation survey results, climate, landforms and hydrology, soils, natural habitats and distribution of plants in early historic times, plant resources, environmental history over the past 1500 years, predicted plant use at The Forks); Past Environments and Ethnobotany (the samples, reconstruction of past soils, vegetation and ethnobotany, comparison with seed remains found at other northern plains sites).

Shay, C.Thomas, S. Coyston, H. Isfeld, M. Waddell, and D.M. Deck. 1990. Paleobotanical Studies at The Forks: Analysis of Seeds, Charcoal and other Organic Remains. Winnipeg: Submitted to the Manitoba Heritage Federation.
[ Research report (54pp) ]

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