Using XRF Core Scanning to Investigate the Boundaries and Internal Structure of a Wendat Village

We report on the initial application of an Itrax x-ray fluorescence core scanner (XRF-CS) to delineate the boundary of archaeologically detectable activities and the internal structure of the site Ahatsistari (BeGx-76), a 17th century a.d. Wendat village located on the Penetang Peninsula, Ontario, Canada. Chemical analysis of samples from 418 distinct unexcavated locations showed that notable variations in phosphorus (P) concentration align with a plausible site boundary, while variation in the concentration of suites of anthropogenically enriched chemicals show an association with interior structures of the village. The results provide a basis for evaluating effective sampling procedures for soil chemical survey and using variances as an interpretative standard, therefore supporting the growing consensus that targeted soil chemical sampling and analysis is a viable method for guiding future investigations and minimizing the impacts of archaeological excavation.