50 
IDENTITY OF THE INHABITANTS 
Previous to the exploration of this site, we had archaeological evidence 
of two successive periods of pre-European occupancy of this general region, 
the earliest being Algonkian and the latest Neutral-Iroquoian. 
The inhabitants of this site were probably not Algonkian. Although 
there are a few identities in pottery decoration, and some of the pipes 
show Algonkian characteristics , 1 the culture otherwise is different. The 
extent and depth of most of the refuse deposits, and the presence of corn, 
point to a sedentary, semi-agricultural people, whereas, as we know, the 
Canadian Algonkians generally w r ere more or less nomadic. Then, too, if 
this site had been of Algonkian origin we should have found some of the 
grooved stone axes, stone gouges, bar amulets, bird amulets, one-hole 
gorgets, and banner stones, so characteristic of the Algonkian culture. 
Although most of the pottery decoration and the pipes are sufficiently 
characteristic to differentiate the culture from that of any known northern 
Iroquoian tribe, and suggest other ethnic relationships, other cultural 
features are unmistakably Iroquoian. Probably the people were Neutrals, 
among the earliest Neutrals, perhaps, to arrive in this region, their culture 
possibly modified by contact with Algonkian predecessors. Comparison of 
the material from Uren, with that from three presumed Neutral sites, in 
Brant and Elgin counties, Ontario 2 , the culture of which seems to be in a 
secondary or transitional stage, considerably strengthens this suspicion. 
As a matter of fact, the correspondences 3 are so numerous as to lead one 
to the conclusion that all these sites were occupied by the same kind of 
people, although apparently at different time periods. The inhabitants of 
Uren, therefore, were probably proto-Neutral. 
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 
The Uren village site has many large refuse deposits, some of them 
quite deep. This is characteristic of sites occupied by a sedentary people. 
The presence of corn and a sunflower seed show that the people depended 
in part on the products of agriculture for subsistence. That they culti- 
vated the tobacco plant is suggested by the discovery of pipes. Most of 
the animals, living in the vicinity, supplied food, and material for clothing 
and tools. No rocks or even drift boulders occur locally, so this material, 
especially chert, had to be brought from a distance. With few exceptions, 
the implements used in the various activities of the people, such as securing 
and preparing food; working stone, clay, shell, bone, antler, and wood; 
tanning skins of animals and making them into garments, etc., are prac- 
tically the same as those from known Neutral sites. The occurrence of 
draw-shave scrapers, which have been found at only two other sites of the 
Iroquois, suggests contact with some people from Ohio, where such artifacts 
are abundant. Most of the pottery is simple; its special characters are 
round bottoms; no handles; inferior technique for the most part to later 
‘These Algonkian characteristics may be due either to contact with Algonkian predecessors; to Algonkian 
women, with whom members of the tribe had intermarried; or to the presence of Algonkian captives. 
2 Lot 61, con. III, Onondaga tp., Brant oo.;and lot 25, con. VII, Malahide tp. , and lots 1 and 2, con. VIII, Bayham 
tp., Elgin co. 
*Some of these similarities have been noted in various places above. 
