Laurel Culture
Laurel Culture refers to the practices and lifestyle of the Laurel people, a group known for their hunter-gatherer society that thrived in a region characterized by lakes and rivers. Their reliance on water for mobility was crucial, allowing them to secure food resources, which included moose, beaver, and fish, particularly during the warm season when they established base camps near major water bodies. These camps likely functioned as family units, with members engaging in hunting and foraging expeditions during colder months. Archaeological findings reveal a rich array of artifacts, such as tools crafted from local materials like copper and bone, as well as distinctive ceramics adorned with incised or impressed decorations. The Laurel people also practiced burial customs influenced by neighboring cultures, including the construction of earthen mounds. These mounds sometimes contained offerings, such as stone projectile points and smoking pipes, emphasizing the cultural significance of burial practices. Overall, the Laurel Culture reflects a deep connection to the land and waterways, shaped by the challenges and resources of their environment.
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Laurel Culture
Date: 200 b.c.e.-700 c.e.
Locale: From eastern Quebec across northern Ontario and central and southeastern Manitoba to east-central Saskatchewan in Canada; northern Michigan and Minnesota in the United States
Laurel Culture
Dwelling among lakes and east-west-flowing rivers, the Laurel people relied on water-based mobility to secure sustenance in a region in which food was often in short supply and support their hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Moose, beaver, and fish were widely eaten, and archaeological excavations in Minnesota have revealed pits dug for the preparation of wild rice.
During the warm season, Laurel people lived in base camps located near major bodies of water, which supplied the inhabitants with fish and provided transportation to hunting and foraging grounds. These camps were probably divided into small family units, each of which would go to its own hunting area during the cold months. Among artifacts found at Laurel sites are various ornaments and tools made of local copper, bone harpoons, and beaver-tooth knives and awls. Laurel ceramics were distinctive, bearing various decorative devices achieved by incision or impression.
The earthen burial mound culture to the south evidently spread to the Laurel people, as such interments were made at large seasonal camps. Before burial, the brains and marrow of the long bones were often removed and red ocher placed in the grave. Although artifacts were rarely included in the graves, offerings (such as stone projectile points and smoking pipes) were placed in the mound fill as burials were added.
Bibliography
Stoltman, J. B. The Laurel Culture in Minnesota. Minnesota Prehistoric Archaeology Series. Saint Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1973.
Sturtevant, William C., ed. Plateau. Vol. 12 in Handbook of North American Indians. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998.
Wright, J. V. The Laurel Tradition and the Middle Woodland Period. Ottawa: National Museum of Canada, 1967.