An investigation of human activity and environmental change at Turpin's Island through palaeoenvironmental and historical archives

While the broader history of European activity in Newfoundland has been relatively well explored, activity on the southern coast, particularly the Burin Peninsula, has been comparatively understudied. Moreover, environmental changes resulting from the migratory cod fishery in this region have yet to be investigated. With this in mind, this research examines human activity and associated environmental transformation linked to the early European migratory fishery and subsequent occupations to produce a biography of the archaeological site of Turpin’s Island, located in Little St. Lawrence on the Burin Peninsula, Newfoundland. This study employs a dual-methodological approach, integrating palaeoenvironmental and historical archives to construct a comprehensive chronology of the occupation of Turpin’s Island and ensuing ecological footprint during the colonial and contemporary period. Palynological analysis reconstructs the environmental history, while the archival data provide insights into the pattern of European settlements. The synthesis of these datasets reveals a distinctive palynological signal that has the potential to differentiate between smaller-scale or seasonal occupations and larger, more permanent settlements, as indicated by the types of non-arboreal taxa reflected in arboreal pollen and non-arboreal pollen (AP/NAP) ratios. Thus, this study introduces a novel methodology for identifying and interpreting pollen diagrams reflecting activity related to the European migratory cod fishery in southern Newfoundland, which could potentially be applied to the broader region of Atlantic Canada. Beyond offering a detailed record of occupation, historical archives have contributed to distinguishing cultural affiliations within local pollen assemblage zones (LPAZs), helping interpret and capture an ecological footprint of French fishing rooms reflected in pollen diagrams, which was not previously recognized.