Exploring the occupational history of the Middle Ontario Iroquoian Dorchester Village site
Abstract
Intrasite trends in superposition and spatial arrangements of longhouses, features and palisades, in conjunction with seriation of ceramic vessels, are used to explore the developmental history of the Dorchester Village site, a complex Late Woodland Middle Ontario Iroquoian archaeological village site, as a case study of intrasite seriation. Vessel attributes were coded and subject to correspondence analysis to seek plausible temporal sequences. The Brainerd Robinson coefficient of similarity was used to identify plausible temporal phase groups of longhouses by comparison of vessels attributed to specific houses. Multiple ceramic attributes were explored, and the attribute of upper rim motif generated the most internally consistent results possible. Upper rim motif was deemed to be the most temporally sensitive attribute within this study and was used to support the identification of a developmental history for the Dorchester Village site. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of intrasite seriation within a Woodland village case.