Dorset Sled-Shoe Design and Cold-Season Transport at Phillip’s Garden (EeBi-1), Northwestern Newfoundland

The Dorset site of Phillip’s Garden (EeBi-1) in Newfoundland is unusual for its size, the distinct character of its settlement, and its rich material remains, including a wide range of osseous (bone, antler, and ivory) tools. This paper presents a comprehensive description of sled technology at the site through an analysis of sled shoes, their design, manufacture sequence, distribution, and the materials selected for their fabrication. The results reveal that while sleds were important throughout the site’s history, their frequency is not consistent, suggesting changes in transporting practices that reflect shifting settlement patterns. It becomes apparent that when compared to sled shoes from elsewhere in the Dorset period, those at Phillip’s Garden exhibit a design that is unique in a number of ways indicating the development of a local technological tradition.