Un aspect méconnu de l’île de Montréal : les occupations amérindiennes du Sylvicole supérieur à la fin du XVIIe siècle
The main aim of this thesis is to define and characterize the native presence on the island of Montreal during the period extending from the Late Woodland to the end of the 17th century, and to attempt to understand the role of the Mount Royal within this context. On the basis of landscape archeology theories, we study the human landscape’s creation and the way by which these places affect the behavior and identity of their occupants. Using the continuity of repetitive tasks associated with the concept of taskscape, we have tried to establish a model of occupation reflecting the dynamic and strategic use of the landscape with regard to colonial policies. The method adopted is a holistic approach based on archeological, historical, ethnohistorical and ethnographic data from archeological excavation reports, oral traditions and various colonial documents dating from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. This study has made it possible to determine various areas associated with different perceptions of landscape reflecting a continuity strategy regarding the conceptualization, organization and manipulation of space following land appropriation by the colonial government.
Canada taskscape Montreal First Nations colonialism contact culture landscape archaeology taskscape