The peoples of the Avonlea culture were known to be excellent bison hunters. They are believed to be the first group to rely completely on the bow and arrow in Saskatchewan.
| Dates: | 1,750 to 1,150 yr BP |
| Lithics: | Lithic raw material was frequently local material such as petrified wood, chert and fine chalcedonies. Projectile points were small and side-notched. |
| Technology: | Subsistence patterns were dominated by bison hunting. The projectile points were smaller and hafted onto arrow shafts. Tipi structures were used, and are indicated in the archaeological record by stone rings that once held down the hide covers. Pottery was also made, and vessels were conical with pointed bottoms. Vessel exteriors were either impressed with nets, carved with spiralling grooves, or smooth. |
| Distribution: | Mainly southern Saskatchewan. |
| Sites: | There are numerous excavated Avonlea sites in Saskatchewan. The Avonlea site, a camp site at Avonlea in southeastern Saskatchewan, is where the complex was first identified in 1956. Bison jumps, such as the Gull Lake site in southwestern Saskatchewan, made use of the natural cliffs to help kill groups of bison. Bison pounds and pit burials have also been identified. |
| Environment: | The Scandic begins just at the start of Avonlea. Conditions are generally warmer and drier. Glacial ice stops advancing in the mountains. |
 |
|