Lithic Collection in Southern Manitoba, Canada

This study identified numerous lithic collection locales within the Tiger Hills in the Pembina Valley Trench of southwestern Manitoba, Canada, as prehistoric lithic quarries. Attention was paid to the frequency of lithic material recovered, in particular, whether material was locally derived or exotic to southern Manitoba. Quarry areas are typically restricted to the testing and extraction of material, rather than the manufacture of implements, characterized by a predominance of cores and core-reduction debitage; more finely manufactured tools are seldom recovered within a quarry. In view of the examination of the types of artifacts and the frequency of lithic material recovered within the study area, it is concluded that lithic collection locales within the Tiger Hills provided the means for very extensive collection and use of raw stone material throughout southern Manitoba. This analysis provides additional insight into the trade and migration patterns within southern Manitoba and will be useful to anyone in the study of archaeology and lithic use.