56th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Archaeological Association

2024 Conference Sessions

All times listed in Atlantic Time (UTC-3).

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Wen Yin (Elaine) Cheng, University of Toronto
  • Duygu Ertemin, McMaster University

Session Abstract

Looking at the technology of the past through archaeological research is like apprenticing from the ancient masters of the past, whose legacy lies in the artifacts they left behind. In this way, we as archaeologists can learn the truth from their technological know-how, production sequence, and organizations from a broad range of artifacts, including but not limited to Canadian archaeology. This process enables us to bridge the past, present and future through transparent methodology and knowledge dissemination, which builds trust-based relationships.

This session serves as a unique platform for the exchange of knowledge, fostering dialogue on the role of archaeology as a bridge between the past, present, and future within the context of heritage material analysis. We welcome students and early career scholars researching technology to present their research and experiences within the realm of heritage material analysis.

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Timothy Allan, Ember Archaeology.
  • Todd Kristensen, Archaeological Survey of Alberta.
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

The ‘Eastern Slopes’ is a general ecological region in Western Canada that includes the Rocky Mountains east of the continental divide as well as the topographically diverse foothills that separate the Rockies from northern boreal and southern prairie regions. The Eastern Slopes hosted a variety of pre-contact and historic groups who moved through the mountains and foothills or called them home over the past 12,000 years. We welcome CRM or academic-based papers that explore human adaptations, migrations, or archaeological methods. Presenters are encouraged to re-format their CAA papers for publication in the Archaeological Survey of Alberta’s 2024 Occasional Paper Series, which will be dedicated to archaeology in the Eastern Slopes (submission deadline in October, 2024).

Presentations

A Case Study of Mitigation in Alberta’s Eastern Slopes
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Vanessa Ockerman - Department of Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
  • Hailey Kennedy - Department of Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

In Alberta’s forestry sector, archaeological sites identified during Historical Resource Impact Assessments (HRIA) are typically flagged for avoidance, resulting in rare instances of excavation (HRIM) procedures being conducted. However, beginning with the 2022 field season, the largest mitigative forestry project on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains has been undertaken, as two sites (ElPu-28 and ElPv-5) were identified within a proposed right of way of a new logging haul road, and could not be avoided. This project offers a rare look into the significance shovel testing has on the interpretation of spatial data, regarding archaeological sites near Limestone Mountain. An overview and comparison between these two archaeological sites highlight the importance of understanding the potential bias of judgmental shovel tests, while providing further insights into the archaeological record and the cultural history of Indigenous Peoples residing in the eastern slopes of Alberta.

A Tale of Two Sites: Results of a Small-scale Research Program at GbQn-13 and FlQs-35 in the Eastern Slopes of Alberta.
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Erik G. Johannesson - Circle CRM Group Inc.
  • Margarita de Guzman - Circle CRM Group Inc.
  • Alexandra Burchill - Circle CRM Group Inc.

Since 2017, Circle CRM Group has been conducting a small-scale research program in the Grand Cache area in an effort to further investigate in situ buried Early Precontact Period sites in the Eastern Slopes of Alberta. This paper details the results of the 2023 installment of the program, which centered on GbQn-13, a small Early Precontact Period lithic scatter located in the uplands east of Grande Mountain. GbQn-13 was originally identified during a Historic Resources Impact Assessment conducted on behalf of Foothills Forest Products in 2021, and was recorded as a small lithic scatter that included obsidian flakes and a Scottsbluff projectile point base manufactured from black chert. In 2023, further investigations at the site resulted in the recovery of additional materials as well as the identification of a possible hearth feature.  In 2023 Circle also submitted obsidian specimen from GbQn-13, as well as other sites identified during its 2022 and 2023 field seasons for X-ray fluorescence analysis (XFR). Here, the results of this analysis and the ongoing research at GbQn-13 are presented against the backdrop of the program’s previous investigations at nearby FlQs-35 to further situate and contextualize Early Precontact Sites in the Eastern Slopes of Alberta.

Ancient DNA Analysis Reveals Expanded Flyway for Northern Curlew (Numenius borealis) During the Late Pleistocene
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Luke Jackman - Ancient DNA Laboratory, Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
  • Jonathan Driver - Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
  • Thomas Royle - Ancient DNA Laboratory, Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada / Department of Archaeology and Cultural History, University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
  • Dongya Yang - Ancient DNA Laboratory, Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

The archaeological and paleontological faunal assemblage from Tse’K’wa (formerly Charlie Lake Cave;HbRf-39) in northeast British Columbia is an important archive of vertebrate biodiversity since approximately 12,500 cal BP. While zooarchaeological analysis has been conducted on this site’s avian remains, this study is the first ancient DNA analysis of avifauna. A 131 base pair region of the cytochrome c oxidase I gene was sequenced to identify 17 (n=17) shorebird (Charadriiformes) specimens. Through this analysis, seven species not previously detected using morphological methods were identified within the avian assemblage. These species support prior paleoenvironment reconstructions as they shared similar habitats with species previously identified at Tse’K’wa. Additionally, a northern curlew (Numenius borealis) was identified amongst the analyzed specimens. This 11,000-year-old northern curlew genetically differs from 19th century specimens. Moreover, this northern curlew was found hundreds of kilometers outside of the route of the species’ spring migration suggested by 19th and 20th century observations. This suggests that the northern curlew's migratory range may have been larger than previously thought and confirms that the annual migration was established at least 11,000 years ago. 

Down by the River: 2018 and 2020 Excavations at FlQg-8.
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Taylor Graham - Bison Historical Services Ltd.
  • Tommy Ng - Bison Historical Services Ltd.

In the fall of 2018 and 2022 a Historical Resources Impact Mitigation of FlQg-8 was conducted on banks of the Athabasca River in the eastern slopes of Alberta.  This site contained multiple cultural components determined through the recovery of temporally diagnostic artifacts, as well as evidence of raw material procurement from the nearby river cobbles in the Athabasca.  Of particular note within the site is a nested hearth feature, and several temporally and spatially discreet lithic reduction activity areas that were identified within the predominantly quartzite lithic assemblage based on unique physical characteristics present in the individual cobbles harvested from the river.  The site, features, and methods used will be discussed and interpretations presented.

Reverse Unifaces: A Middle Period Stone Tool Found on the Eastern Slopes
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Jason  Roe - Lifeways of Canada Limited

Reverse Unifaces are a common stone tool found on the Eastern Slopes of Alberta.  This presentation will highlight some of the unique characteristics of this Middle Period tool that make it diagnostic.  I will discuss where they have been found, focusing mostly on Eastern Slopes sites.  Lastly, the argument will be made that there is a specific operational sequence tied directly to the cobbles they are made from to how they were may have been used. 

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Steven Mozarowski, Lakehead University

Session Abstract

Starch analysis is widely used in archaeology to investigate the processing of wild plants for food and medicine, as well as the domestication and spread of cultigens. Starch analyses are dependent on the development and use of plant species identification keys. To date, all published methods to identify starch granules are either time-consuming to produce and apply, or impossible to statistically validate for their accuracy. This session describes a statistically testable starch identification method developed during my MSc research  at Lakehead University called the machine learning method (MLM). MLM mitigates two major production bottlenecks experienced by existing starch identification methods. First, the necessary task of collecting reference images of starch granules is accelerated using multispectral imaging flow cytometry (MIFC). MIFC is a form of high-throughput microscopy that collects thousands of images per second. Second, the traditional step of collecting measurements of individual granules by hand is eliminated. Processed image sets are used directly to train machine learning (image recognition) algorithms at species identification. MLM produces identification accuracies that are comparable to or better than other published methods. When MLM is applied using 8,500 images of starch granules from 17 plants mostly occurring in eastern North America, identification accuracy is observed to be as high as 99.5%. This method promises to provide a feasible, cost-effective, and accurate means to identify starch granules recovered from archaeological materials.

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Butch Amundson, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
  • Kathleen Willie, University of Saskatchewan
  • Eliann Guinan, Government of Saskatchewan, Heritage Conservation Branch
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

The career of Dr. Ernest Walker has touched many lives and places. His research as a Plains archaeologist led to the formation of Wanuskewin Heritage Park and his career as a University of Saskatchewan professor allowed him to mentor many students. Combined, they have substantially increased our knowledge of the discipline, Northern Plains archaeology in particular, and fostered the development of a Park worthy of the UNESCO World Heritage Designation that it seeks. Ernie has mentored many of us, and his work shaped the work we do today. In honour of his accomplishments and work as an archaeologist, we organized this session in his honour. A chance to share stories, speak of his work, impact, memories, and time spent working with him. Ernie retired from teaching in 2020, but maintains a strong relationship with USask, and is still continuing to supervise graduate students, and maintains relationships with many of his former students. We look forward to hearing from many of his former students and colleagues in this session as a means to show our appreciation for him and his stellar career. 

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Shalen Prado, University of Saskatchewan
  • Garth Sutton, University of Manitoba
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

Collaborative archaeological projects in recent years have made efforts decolonize the field by pursuing more respectful and inclusive archaeological research across Turtle Island. However, many aspects of archaeological education and research protocols require further critical review. In this session we will discuss such aspects including: problematizing access to archaeological collections (private, museum, and university), figuring out consent (i.e., who to ask?), how and when should archaeologists connect with collaborators, respect with belongings (i.e., artifacts), and giving back to community. Through a series of collaboratively structured questions, panelists will discuss these topics in an open dialogue to help orient archaeologists and other heritage professionals toward more respectful and de-colonial ways of doing archaeology in the field, the museum, and the classroom.

Presentations

Reflections on a Decade of Practice in Indigenous Archaeology: In Decolonizing, Are We Simply Recolonizing?
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Lindsay Amundsen-Meyer - Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary

In 2014, I successfully defended my dissertation titled “Nested Landscapes: Ecological and Spiritual Use of Plains Landscape During the Late Prehistoric Period”, my first attempt at applying a perspective grounded in Indigenous archaeology to the study of cultural landscapes. In this study and the years following, I firmly subscribed to the goal of braiding Indigenous and Western knowledge and using an approach based in two-eyed seeing as the way forward to decolonize the discipline. Since 2019, I have had the privilege of working with, for and on the Siksika First Nation and of learning from many Elders and Knowledge Keepers in the community. Reflecting on these experiences, I have begun to wonder if braiding knowledge to decolonize archaeology is simply another form of colonization. This paper will explore the concept of Indigenous archaeology and, reflecting on my own experiences, pose questions and put forward suggestions for future collaborative work for myself and my colleagues to consider as we work to come to terms with the longstanding colonial history of our discipline.

“I am Doing Two Things at Once”: the Struggles of Conducting Community-Based Research within a PhD Program
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Caylee Dzurka

Over the past 20 years, archaeology has shifted towards community-based research with an increasing number of graduate students partnering with communities for their research projects. However, funding constraints, program requirements, and expected project outputs present challenges for community work at the graduate level. As a PhD student, I have been navigating the conflicting priorities of academic institutions and local communities as I work with 2SLGBTQ+ Inuit to build an archaeological archive of diverse gender identities and relationships in the Inuit past. To build trust with my community partners and meet the requirements of my PhD program, I have found myself trying to accomplish very different goals. Over the past three years, I have been completing my course work, comprehensive exams, and proposal defense while also building relationships and collaborating with my community partners; objectives which are not considered essential for a graduate program but are vital for a community archaeology project. Based on my experience, I will argue that Canadian institutions need to re-evaluate aspects of the PhD candidacy process to meet the needs of the communities’ graduate students are partnering with; such as increased funding opportunities, workshops on partnership building, and flexibility in program timelines and outputs.

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Amelia Fay, Manitoba Museum
  • David Finch, Manitoba Museum
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

Many museums and universities are filled with legacy collections. These older, understudied, and often under-catalogued collections have led to a curation crisis in many institutions. The under-staffed reality of heritage institutions means that legacy collections have an opportunity for greater attention by external researchers. This opens doors to past work that may have been neglected, but also recognizes the costs and ethics surrounding continual excavation projects without proper curation. This session explores the challenges and opportunities of tackling these legacy collections, bringing new analyses, fresh interpretations, and reinvigorating the work of archaeologists of the past. We welcome papers from researchers and community members who are actively engaging with legacy collections to share their work. At the same time, we also encourage heritage professionals working in institutions that house these collections to highlight the research potential that might be hiding in the collections, just waiting for the right researcher to come along.

Presentations

Digging through the Archives: Uncovering the History of the Lake Midden Collection
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Faith Boser - University of Alberta

The Lake Midden (EfNg-1) site, located near Last Mountain Lake in southern Saskatchewan, has intrigued archaeologists and avocationals for decades. Lake Midden has a Mortlach phase, Pericolonial period occupation dating from the 16th to 18th centuries. The site first garnered attention due to its dense and variable artifacts. Lake Midden has been involved with many eras of archaeological interest in Saskatchewan, from the early days of curious post-dust-bowl Saskatchewan farmers in the 1940s to field schools conducted in the 1990s. Systematic excavations began in the 1950s and continued until the mid-1990s. Mortlach pottery, lithics, trade goods, bone tools, ice-gliders, other modified objects, and thousands of fragmented faunal remains were recovered during these excavations. The integrity of much of the site was disturbed due to looting activities, although undisturbed portions were excavated. Due to the duration of the inquiry and the many different people involved with the site, piecing together the history of the collection is needed to help inform further analyses. This paper discusses the process of tracking down and going through Lake Midden archival material and the benefits of working with legacy collections.

Putting Our House in Order: How a Decade of Collection Reorganization and a Focus on Collections Management at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum has resulted in Research Success
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Cindy Scheer - The Royal Saskatchewan Museum

The Royal Saskatchewan Museum (RSM) has been the principal repository for the province’s archaeological materials for over one hundred years and now houses 6,000 boxes of artifacts along with reports, slides and photos, notes, maps, drawings, correspondence, and catalogues all with diverse storage requirements and considerations. To address these needs, the RSM Archaeology Unit initiated an ongoing project to rehouse the museum’s archaeological collections and rethink our collections and data management approach. Broadly the project goals were (1) to ensure safe collection storage and (2) improve accessibility. Methods include a complete rehousing of the artifacts collection into archival quality boxes, a revised inventory, and database development improvements. Now, ten years into the project, we present the current status of our project and highlight case studies of recent research and future research projects facilitated by the work.

Rethinking antiquity: Legacy collections as multi-temporal
Presentation format: Online - pre-recorded
Author(s):
  • Tiziana Gallo - Trent University Durham
  • Craig N. Cipolla - Tufts University

Indigenous artifacts collected by Euro-colonial settlers of southern Ontario around the late 19th century commonly lack provenience. This leaves many questions unanswered and leads archaeologists to favour singular temporalities over others. We discuss how two classes of artifacts from the Royal Ontario Museum’s Archaeology of Ontario legacy collection challenge the arbitrary nature of archaeological periods and the cut between real and fake, antique and new, traditional and modern. Typologically attributed to a 3,000-1,500 BP timeframe, we compare examples of steel-modified ground stone gorgets with jingle cones, a type of artifact that only emerged in the early twentieth century but that is often framed as an eternal and essential component of Indigeneity. Traces that speak to the sound-making properties of jingle cones and the recent interaction of the properties of steel tools and stone gorgets help us think beyond deep pasts and highlight change and continuity within Indigenous and colonial histories.

Shedding Light onto the Cultural Heritage from Churchill, Manitoba
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Miguel Valverde-Yetman - Department of Anthropology, University of Manitoba
  • Linda Larcombe - Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba
  • Laura Kelvin - Department of Anthropology, University of Manitoba

The University of Manitoba (UM) has a large amount of Indigenious cultural heritage (or Indigenious belongings) from cultural heritage sites in the area around Churchill Manitoba. Indigenous belongings (artifacts) that were collected in the 1960s and 70s without community knowledge or consent that are now housed at UM remain poorly inventoried and understudied, making them inaccessible to northern Indigenous communities.

By opening the storage drawers and shedding light on the holdings from the Churchill area by 1) consolidating the information previously collected about the holdings, and 2) connecting Indigenous community members from northern Manitoba with the holdings and the cultural heritage sites from where they were taken. Archaeological field notes, catalogues, maps, photographs, and site reports will be digitized and consolidated to make the collected knowledge accessible to academics and community members. Community members will travel to the cultural heritage sites at Churchill to explore and experience the Land, help document the features that are on the Land using non-invasive techniques. We will hold ceremony at locations where the belongings originate. Potentially this will make the holdings available to Northern communities, inspire deeper connections with cultural heritage sites and holdings, and enhance local capacity for stewarding and sharing the past.

Small Museum, Big Challenges: Community Museums and their Role in Maintaining Legacy Archaeological Collections
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Tim Panas - Museums Association of Saskatchewan
  • Sarah Durham - Museums Association of Saskatchewan

The issue of understudied, or in some cases unstudied, legacy archaeological collections is an issue that not only impacts major provincial and federal museums but community museums as well. Found throughout Canada, these institutions often served as the repositories for significant locally-sourced assemblages, donated by avocational archaeologists and collectors, prior to the implementation of any provincial legislation or oversight by regulatory agencies. This paper will examine the unique challenges that these institutions face due to their size, staffing, financing, and governance structures, and will highlight the potential contributions that their collections can make to a larger understanding of the history of what is now Canada.

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Tommy Yukon Ng, Bison Historical Services Ltd.
  • John Somogyi-Csizmazia, North Island College
  • Neha Gupta, University of British Columbia, Okanagan

Session Abstract

The participation of descendant communities is central to the design of research, in meaningful analysis and interpretation of archaeology, and in the appropriate preservation of heritage. In this session, we invite presenters to share projects that engage Black and racialized descendant
communities with archaeology and heritage, and discuss how they participate in, and contribute to these projects. Projects can be in any stage of development, including those that have been completed, or that are in the initial stages of conceptualization. We especially encourage students and early career scholars to submit a paper.

Presentations

Planting the Seed: Thinking about an Archaeology of Nikkei Food in Canada
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Emma Yasui - York University

Food has always been an important part of the Japanese Canadian experience, whether home-cooked meals or community events. Getting the right ingredients often meant relying on imported products, but also kitchen gardens and market farmers who brought Japanese plants to Canada. As a paleoethnobotanist who has focused on ancient starch grain analysis of Jomon Period Japan, I have been intrigued by the overlap in the collection of plants used by the past Japanese cultures I study and the Nikkei cuisine that I grew up with. In this presentation, I will explore the potential for expanding on Nikkei foodways by applying paleoethnobotanical methods and considering the human-plant communities that would have formed before, during, and after dispossession and imprisonment. I will also reflect on how archaeological research on foodways could be used to promote meaningful engagement with Canadian Nikkei, and bring the past to life for a wide audience.

The Old Negro Cemetery- Desecration of Graves and Erasure of Black Life in New Brunswick
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Mary McCarthy - Community / PhD

This presentation tells the story of the “Old Negro Cemetery” that was swallowed by the building of the Mactacquac Dam. The dam built in the mid 1960s in Kingsclear Parish in central New Brunswick runs along the mighty Wolastoq (Saint John River), which was for time immemorial settled by Indigenous Peoples. The Wolastoq continues to support many people and communities who live and thrive along it. It was also along the Wolastoq that the first generation of African New Brunswickers established communities, where they buried their ancestors. In the 1960s, when plans were drawn to widen the river bed for the Mactacquac Dam, New Brunswick Hydro engineers marked locations of graves of white New Brunswickers and moved them away from the areas that were to be flooded. They marked the “Old Negro Cemetery” which was estimated to have the graves of 60 Black ancestors. Yet, unlike the graves of white residents, graves of Black residents were deliberately left in place, such that when the dam was completed and the waters of the mighty Wolastoq flowed again, the river swallowed the graves. Narrating this presentation is a 6th generation woman of African descent, whose ancestors are buried under the river.  

 

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Tracy Martens, Royal Saskatchewan Museum
  • Bailey Monsebroten, Royal Saskatchewan Museum
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

Today, most people live in uninterrupted contact with fibre and perishable items, from status symbols like designer clothing and handbags to utilitarian objects like automobile seatbelts, paper, and household linen. Archaeological evidence indicates that the tight-knit relationship between people and fibre and perishable items is genuinely ancient, with indirect evidence of fibre processing dated over 100,000 years BP at Cueva Anton, Spain and convincing evidence that Neanderthals possessed yarn production technology. This revelation has been interpreted as evidence of increased cognitive capacity (Hardy et al., 2020). Yet, aside from enthusiastic hobbyists and textile specialists, few people, including but not limited to archaeologists, have a working understanding of fibre types and processing, yarn production, and textile structure. Likewise, even fewer people appreciate the complexity and prolonged engagement demanded by these techniques, particularly before and during mechanization when processes were performed entirely or partially by hand. As a result of this unfamiliarity, researchers often ignore fibre and perishable items and associated technologies or superficially address them, leading to misleading categorization including but not limited to miscellaneous items alongside rosary beads, marbles and clocks (Mackay et al. 2006). This session invites papers and project descriptions focused on detailed recordings and analysis of fibre and perishable items from archaeological, historical or museum contexts that demonstrate the research value and potential of fibre and perishable items and associated materials. Contributions might also include best practices for handling, recording and storing fibre and perishable items and recognizing tools and indirect evidence for fibre processing.

Presentations

An Island in Space and Time: A Transitional Early to Middle Archaic Fiber Perishable Assemblage from Franktown Cave, Western Great Plains, USA
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Kevin Gilmore - HDR
  • Edward Jolie - University of Arizona

Manufacture of perishable artifacts, particularly complex artifacts such as sandals and baskets, follows traditions of shared teaching and learning that overlap with individual and group identities and so are valuable for establishing regional sociocultural connections. However, sites preserving perishable artifacts are inconveniently rare and geographically isolated, creating interpretative challenges. Franktown Cave, at the edge of the western Great Plains, contains an assemblage of woven sandals and coiled basketry in two components dated 3310-2940 and 2840-2490 BC, and suggests possible interaction or cultural affinities with populations of the Colorado Plateau to the west and the northern Chihuahuan Desert to the south. The Franktown Cave projectile points are similar to types found on the Colorado Plateau dating much earlier, but similar contemporaneous points are found in southern New Mexico and Texas south into northern Mexico, providing additional support for a southern connection. The early component at Franktown Cave slightly predates the appearance of the Northern Plains Middle Archaic McKean technocomplex in the region, whose users dominated the Central and Northern Plains for over 2000 years. Thus, Franktown Cave may represent the northern frontier for southern ideas (and possibly people) just prior to the arrival of northern technologies that defined the Middle Archaic.      

Analytical Approaches to Fiber and Perishable Artifacts
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Tracy Martens - Royal Saskatchewan Museum
  • Judith Cameron - Australian National University
  • Charles Higham - University of Otago

Analytical approaches to fibre and perishable artifacts have expanded from detailed technical analysis to diagnostic imaging, chemical and stable isotope analysis and even machine learning. Where such methods have been successfully applied, our understanding of resource use, technological development, trade, identity and even cognitive capacity, among Neanderthals, has been established or improved. Despite the potential of these artifacts to contribute to common archaeological questions, fibre and perishable items remain misunderstood, understudied and under-analyzed by archaeologists. In this paper, we describe our recent and ongoing investigations using stable light isotope analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of fibre and perishable artifacts from an Historical Australian site, light microscopy, SEM-Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), photogrammetry, and 3D scanning of cord-marked pottery sherds from the collection at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum and Ban Chiang; a Bronze/Iron Age site in Thailand. We also assess these analytical methods' effectiveness, practicality and contributions in the case studies presented and future possibilities for further work. 

 

The Subarctic in the Southwest? The Advent of Leather Footwear in a World of Sandals
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • John  Ives - University of Alberta
  • Kevin Gilmore - HDR Inc.
  • Edward Jolie - University of Arizona
  • Benjamin Bellorado - University of Arizona

Circumpolar populations negotiated an “Arctic filter” that must have involved sophisticated leather footwear capable of dealing with severe northeast Asian and Beringian environments through which Indigenous Ancestors would travel entering the western hemisphere. Yet, apart from glimpses afforded at sites such as Spirit Cave or the mid-Holocene moccasin from a Mount Edziza ice patch, ancient leather footwear is exceedingly rare. While leather footwear remained critical in the north, early populations in the Great Basin and American Southwest soon employed fibre perishable sandals that largely dominated the archaeological record until the late fourteenth century. Then, leather footwear quickly succeeded sandals amongst many Southwestern populations. This has at times been attributed to the appearance of Apachean ancestors in the Southwest and southern Plains. We explore this adoption of leather moccasins in light of the hundreds of Promontory Cave moccasins in Utah, a scattering of similar moccasins in Wyoming and Colorado, and at prominent Southwestern sites including Mesa Verde, Aztec, Montezuma’s Castle, Chaco Canyon and Walpi. Apachean ancestors entered a turbulent thirteenth century world—where Puebloan peoples were retracting into fewer, larger communities—and brought with them a Subarctic moccasin style that became the basis from which leather footwear came to dominate.

Tips and Techniques for the Care of Waterlogged Perishable Archaeological Artifacts
Presentation format: Online - pre-recorded
Author(s):
  • Kathleen Sullivan - Canadian Conservation Institute

The Archaeological Conservation Laboratory at the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) is a resource for the heritage community, and treats archaeological artifacts from across Canada, particularly waterlogged perishable materials. Fibrous and perishable materials rarely survive in the archaeological record, making such finds even more significant. When perishable materials such as textiles, rope, cordage, basketry, leather, and wood do survive, more frequently they are found in a wet or waterlogged context. Waterlogged perishable materials are some of the most fragile types of artifacts that can be recovered during an archaeological excavation. To ensure the best possible long-term preservation consideration for the care of these artifacts needs to begin upon discovery. As a part of our mandate, CCI archaeological conservators also respond to general information requests related to the conservation of this type of material. From these conversations, we have identified common themes and questions about the care of perishable materials. Based upon these themes and questions, this talk will cover tips and techniques for handling, suggestions for packaging materials, and options for long- and short-term storage of perishable archaeological artifacts.

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Robert Losey, Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

Indigenous peoples of the Canadian prairies and parklands have remarkably diverse long-term histories. Archaeological efforts to understand these histories have been reinvigorated through a variety of new collaborations, methodological advances, and increasingly larger datasets. Community-based archaeology, sourcing studies, residue analyses, zooarchaeology, radiocarbon dating, and a suite of other approaches all have contributed to these developments. This session explores these efforts and approaches through a series of papers spanning the Canadian prairie provinces. Contributions addressing topics spanning from the Early Holocene through to the colonial period will be provided.

Presentations

Addressing the Finer Issues with Burned-Rock Feature Analysis on the Northwestern Plains
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Allie Bradford - University of Calgary

Stone features described as burned-rock features (BRF) by archaeologists represent essential practices in the lifeways of past peoples as they served as cooking elements, heated homes, and were used for ceremonial purposes. Yet, meaningful interpretation of BRFs has been limited on the Northwestern Plains due to morphological variability, inconsistent terminology, as well as the perceived lack of interpretive value of fire-broken rock (FBR). This lack of meaningful engagement with BRF has resulted in the misidentification and misinterpretation of BRF, leading individuals to overlook the cultural significance of these features to Plains Indigenous peoples. Therefore, in this discussion, I will address the finer issues associated with BRF analysis. I will include an in-depth review of known BRF in the Northwestern Plains to highlight these issues. Finally, I will emphasize the importance of BRF studies to demonstrate that BRFs present critical data which can be utilized to better understand the lifeways of past peoples.

Ageing archaeological dog and wolf remains on the Canadian Plains
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Megan Bieraugle - University of Alberta
  • Robert Losey - University of Alberta
  • Lei Ding - University of Alberta

Relationships between Indigenous people, dogs, and wolves are complex and have a long history on the Canadian Plains. Understanding canid age at death could shed important light on these relationships, including how people cared for their dogs or interacted with wild wolves encountered at kill sites. Existing canid ageing methods are subjective, rely on teeth not commonly recovered, and have undocumented margins of error. This study uses known age modern wolves from Alberta, Yellowstone National Park, and the Northwest Territories to examine how tooth wear rates correlate with age. Wolves from these regions are used because they should have far less dietary variation than past dogs, meaning that the relationship between age and wear should be less convoluted. Dog tooth wear is likely to be far more complicated due to their variable dietary dependence on people but also their self-provisioning through hunting and scavenging. Our results show that tooth wear has a positive but poor correlation to age, and that statistically significant differences in wear rates occur between each wolf population. Further research is required to fully understand the nuances of canid tooth wear and its relationships to age, diet, trauma, and a suite of other factors.

Infrequency as a Measure of Importance: Pottery Use and Maize Consumption by Mobile Hunter-Gatherers of the Northern Great Plains (2000 to 1150 BP)
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Andrew Lints

What we now label Besant and Sonota material culture originates from a time and places where ‘new’ activities and technologies appeared in northern Great Plains settings. The use of pottery marked an alternative to culinary practices that previously required the heating of stones to boil foods. Recent examination of these vessels allowed for the opportunity to address how ‘new’ materials and foods were adopted. Analyses of pottery from 24 sites across the northern Great Plains, revealed how infrequent pottery was within the overall material culture during this time. Likewise, microbotanical evidence of maize (Zea mays spp. mays) was limited to only pottery vessels from the Stelzer (39DW242) and Arpan Mound (39DW252) sites, in northern South Dakota. While these numbers may seem anomalous, the context of the Stelzer and Arpan Mound sites suggests otherwise. The Stelzer and Arpan mound sites represent two locations where significant multi-community gatherings occurred. Although both items were rare within the material culture of this time, pottery and maize were central to the ritual activities conducted at these sites. Further, the use of pottery and maize may have been reserved for significant events.

Microbotanical residues of past Indigenous foodways: insights from Lake Midden pot sherds
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Shalen Prado - University of Saskatchewan
  • Hailey Kennedy - University of Saskatchewan

Archaeological investigations of ceramics in Saskatchewan have historically focused on typological analysis – an approach that classifies ceramic artifacts based on observable physical attributes such as shape, decoration, paste type, and temper. However, the application of residue analyses offers novel avenues for testing and refining these typologies by extracting adhering food residues and other substances trapped in ceramic surfaces. Such approaches can enhance our understanding of past function and use of ceramic material culture. This paper presents findings from non-destructive microbotanical sampling of 15 pot sherds from the Lake Midden site (EfNg-1). Through the examination of these results, which include starch grain residues, we delve into pre-contact Indigenous culinary practices in Saskatchewan. This study was conducted in collaboration with the Royal Saskatchewan Museum and with consent from the Touchwood Hills Tribal Council.

New Collaborative Efforts Towards A Better Understanding of Lake Midden, a Gathering Place
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Robert Losey - University of Alberta

This presentation provides an introduction to the renewed efforts being made to better understand the Lake Midden (EfNg-1) site near Last Mountain Lake, Saskatchewan. This work is a collaborative effort by members of the University of Alberta, the University of Saskatchewan, and the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council Elders. We are working together to comprehensively examine the massive collections recovered from this Mortlach phase site over its decades-long history of excavation. In the presentation, new radiocarbon dating of the site to better understand its chronology and use as a winter gathering area are outlined. Our initial steps toward developing educational materials for Touchwood Agency communities also are described. Finally, we present potential evidence for the falsification of some artifacts at the site, likely related to attempts made decades ago to increase artifacts’ value when being sold to museums. 

Revisiting Archaeological Understandings of Métis Identity Using Foodways
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Solène Mallet Gauthier - University of Alberta

The archaeology of the Métis, a post-contact Indigenous people whose homeland encompasses much of western Canada and parts of the northwestern United States, has not received the same amount of attention from archaeologists as the histories of other Indigenous groups. While a few papers have been published throughout the 1970s to the 2000s, it can generally be said that the research done on Métis archaeological sites and materials has remained very sparse until the creation of the EMITA (Exploring Métis Identity Through Archaeology) project, led by Dr. Kisha Supernant. As part of this project, research undertaken by graduate students have all either involved re-examining previous interpretations and understandings of Métis material culture, or included the use of methods never used before in such contexts. Using the example of work currently being done on materials collected at Chimney Coulee (DjOe-6), this presentation will focus on the application of methods from environmental archaeology and the concept of foodways to revisit traditional archaeological understandings of Métis identity.

Stone Circles Revisited: Comparing Archaeological Assumptions with Blackfoot Practice
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Lindsay Amundsen-Meyer - Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary
  • Kent Ayoungman - Independent Scholar, Siksika First Nation

While scholars have continued to debate the research value of excavating stone circles, few have questioned the assumptions we use to interpret them. This despite the fact these assumptions originate in or before the era of Processual archaeology and were likely formed without input from descendant communities. Yet, pick up an archaeological report detailing a survey of stone feature sites and you will almost certainly see reference to whether each circle is a double or single ring of stones (the former assumed to result from cold season occupation, the latter from warm season occupation), whether there are any gaps (particularly to the east) consistent with a door, and whether or not any cobbles representative of an interior hearth are present. This paper will demonstrate that these assumptions are overly simplistic, and that any interpretation of archaeological sites based on them is fundamentally flawed. It is time that Plains archaeologists work with descendant communities such as the Blackfoot to understand from a culturally specific perspective how tipis are designed and erected and apply these understandings to our interpretation of the archaeological record.

Tackling the Enigma of Late Precontact Southwest Manitoba: Insights from the Pierson Wildlife Management Area Archaeological Project and Beyond
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Mary E Malainey - Anthropology-Brandon University and Manitoba Archaeological Society

Five years of archaeological research south of Melita by Brandon University and the Manitoba Archaeological Society have provided a greater understanding of the complex pre-European contact past of this region. Prompted by the discovery of two complete bison scapula hoes in 2018, excavations indicate that an intense occupation of the area by Indigenous horticulturalists began in the late 1400s or early 1500s CE. Evidence of an earlier occupation along Gainsborough Creek includes Besant/Sonota points, features, earthworks, and radiocarbon age estimates. Early Woodland (Adena, Kramer and Waubseau) points have been found nearby and at sites to the north. The timing of these occupations coincides with the two distinct use episodes of pipestone reported elsewhere, the first approximately 2000 years ago and the second beginning in the 14th century CE. The presence of worked red dolomite and availability of raw material along Pipestone Creek may in part explain the concentration of habitation sites and earthworks in the southwest corner of Manitoba. A similar re-occupation and re-use of previously constructed burial mounds by later horticulturalists was reported in the Lockport area along the Red River north of Winnipeg. These results lend additional support for a re-consideration of the Devils Lake-Sourisford Burial Complex.

The Buried Pot Feature and Preliminary Results of Palaeobotanical Analyses of Artifacts and Soil in and around the Pierson Wildlife Management Area, Southwest Manitoba
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Mary E Malainey - Anthropology-Brandon University and Manitoba Archaeological Society
  • Sara Halwas - Sessional lecturer, Department of Anthropology, University of Manitoba
  • Clarence Surette - Department of Anthropology, Lakehead University
  • Matt Boyd - Department of Anthropology, Lakehead University

Evidence of pre-European contact Indigenous farming activities has been recovered from sites in and around the Gainsborough Creek valley in the southwest corner of Manitoba. Fragments of an intentionally buried pot were recovered near a hearth at site DgMg-168, on the adjacent prairie. The significance of this vessel, which dates to the beginning of the horticultural occupation, is considered. Recent results from the palaeobotanical analysis of associated carbonized vessel residues and soil core samples from the Olson site (DgMg-167) on the valley floor will be presented. This information, combined with distribution of sites, features and artifacts in and around the Pierson Wildlife Management Area, is providing a more complete understanding of how Late Precontact Indigenous farmers used the area.

The Excavation of a Stone Cairn Cache in Southern Saskatchewan
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Eliann Guinan
  • Mike Markowski - AtlHeritage Services Corp.

In 2018, a stone cairn was discovered on a prominent hilltop in the Missouri Coteau in southern Saskatchewan, not an uncommon discovery. Due to potential impacts from development, a salvage excavation commenced which included the excavation of the entire stone cairn structure and additional subsurface testing in the immediate area. A preliminary interpretation for the stone cairn was its functional use as a navigational marker; however, the initial interpretation was retracted upon the discovery of a cache cavity within the unexpectedly large structure of the stone cairn. Had the excavation not occurred, the stone cairn may have been misinterpreted; this is a common issue at stone cairn sites across the northern Plains.

The Zooarchaeology of Lake Midden (EfNg-1)
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Faith Boser - University of Alberta

Lake Midden (EfNg-1) is a Morlach phase, Pericolonial period site with occupations ranging from the 16th to 17th centuries. The site is located in a coulee near Last Mountain Lake in southern Saskatchewan. An extensive collection of materials was retrieved from the site through both looting and systematic excavations between the 1940s and the 1990s. The collection includes Mortlach pottery, lithics, trade goods, bone tools, ice-gliders and other modified objects, but most are fragmented faunal remains. Despite the intermittent work on the site over many decades, the faunal collection has not been comprehensively and systematically analyzed. Taxonomic identifications conducted so far indicate that most remains are bison, followed by Canid sp. (wolves, dogs, coyotes, and fox) remains. Smaller amounts of other taxons have been identified, including deer (Odocoileus sp.), mustelids (Mustelidae sp.), bear (Ursus sp.), beaver (Castor canadensis), rabbit (Leporidae sp.), and most surprisingly, horse (Equus sp.). Fetal bison remains are present in the collection, which have been used to determine the seasonality of the site. This paper discusses the ongoing analyses of the Lake Midden faunal remains, including preliminary results.

What’s that doing there!?: 2022 Excavations at GfOx-59 and GfOx-61 in Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park.
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Taylor Graham - Bison Historical Servioces Ltd.

In the fall of 2022, on behalf of Alberta Parks, a Historical Resources Impact Mitigation of two archaeological sites (GfOx-59 and GfOx-61) was conducted on the Big Island of Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park in Lac La Biche Alberta.  These sites contained two different ceramic assemblages, with GfOx-59 producing Narrows Fabric Impressed Ware, first identified in the Buffalo Narrows region of Northwestern Saskatchewan, and the ceramic ware most common in the region.  While GfOx-61 produced Avery Horizontal Corded Ware, first identified in southeastern Manitoba, and never before observed in northeastern Alberta.  Both wares are discussed and their distributions across western Canada examined.  It is posited that with the newly confirmed presence of Avery Corded ware within northeastern Alberta, past ceramic sherd identifications may have combined the relatively similar morphology of body sherds due to a superficial or untrained inspection, and that some previously collected assemblages could potentially contain unrecognized Avery Horizontal Corded Ware.  If confirmed the presence of this ware across the region could then indicate a previously undiscovered cultural expression in the region, or a long distance trade and influence network stretching from southeastern Manitoba to northeastern Alberta.

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • CAA 2024 Organizing Committee
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

A general session for posters. This session will also include any student posters. Posters can be in-person or viewable online. If you would like to participate in this session online, please submit your digital poster by April 15, 2024.

Presentations

An Overview of the Metal Assemblage of the Schreiber Wood Project
Presentation format: Online - pre-recorded
Author(s):
  • Gani Cabezas - University of Toronto Mississauga

The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) has conducted annual archaeological field school excavations of the former Schreiber family estate as part of the Schreiber Wood Project. The Schreibers lived in three houses on a portion of the current UTM campus property from the late 19th century to early 20th century. To date, the assemblage of metal artifacts from the field school has not been researched as extensively compared to other artifact classes. Under the Schreiber Wood Project’s Work Study program, this study provides a comprehensive overview of all metal artifacts collected from the field school excavations to date to guide future research efforts within the contexts of 19th to 20th-century industrial metal production and Euro-Canadian domestic life. Artifacts with high interpretive potential were sorted and analyzed as case studies, with reference to comparative North American archaeological sites and store catalogues from the period. Specific interest was given to personal artifacts, tools, and furnishings that suggest a predominant use of American mass-produced cast iron and brass imports.

Clever Young Reindeer: Archaeology, Activity Books, and Indigenous Children of Arctic Siberia
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Hailey Kennedy - Department of Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
  • Stella  Razdymakha - Arctic Research Center, Salekhard, Iamal-Nenets Region, Russian Federation
  • Lubov’  Vozelova - Arctic Research Center, Salekhard, Iamal-Nenets Region, Russian Federation
  • Tatiana Nomokonova - Department of Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon

Stitching the Past and Present is an international project designed in partnership with Indigenous Peoples of the Iamal region of Arctic Siberia. Funded through the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the project brings together researchers and community members across Russia and Canada. A crucial element of this endeavour is the development of public educational materials for Nenets and Khanty children. The co-creation of these resources is focused on connecting Iamal communities with their archaeological heritage and highlighting the importance of reindeer hide working, sewing practices, and Indigenous voices. Our presentation will introduce the production and implementation of two activity book volumes, together titled Clever Young Reindeer, which are the first examples of this collaborative effort. These open-access resources are written in Russian and English with integration of Khanty and Nenets languages and are intended to stitch together Indigenous Knowledge and archaeological practice in this region. 

Examining Garry Oak Ecosystems as Indigenous Archaeological Landscapes
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Maddi Tolmie - University of Victoria

Garry Oak savannah ecosystems (GOEs) are Indigenous landscapes. Prior to the 1880’s lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples stewarded a diversity of native plants and animals in these once these widespread ecosystems. With colonization and the dispossession of Indigenous peoples from these places, GOE stands have decreased in area by 99%. Current knowledge acknowledges that Indigenous fire management and the stewardship of traditional root-foods, such as blue camas, has contributed to the creation and maintenance of these ecosystems. However, I hypothesize that there is a more diverse and currently unrecognized Indigenous history that archaeology is uniquely situated to illuminate. Working with existing site records within past and present GOEs, supplemented by targeted surface surveys, and stratified random archaeological subsurface testing, I argue that GOEs can be reconceptualized as Indigenous archaeological landscapes and that the ecological legacies of burning and cultivation—while key aspects of Indigenous histories —are unlikely to be the only archaeological indicators of Indigenous presence within GOEs. Establishing Indigenous histories is key to asserting Indigenous futures in these places. My master’s research serves to identify, categorize, and create a conversation between the importance of GOEs as Indigenous archaeological sites, as well as spaces where eco-cultural restoration and archaeology intersect.

Flea on the Run: Preliminary Results of a Re-examination of the Biogeography of Pulex irritans L. from Archaeological Locality Data
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Alyshia Reesor - Memorial University of Newfoundland

The Human Flea thrives on human blood, yet exhibits adaptability and opportunism, having been identified on various mammals including pigs, dogs, cats, and burrowing owls. Unlike the Human Louse, which evolved with their primate hosts in Africa, the Human Flea originated in South America, implying that it evolved with another host species before adapting to humans. In 1989, Paul Buckland and Jon Sadler published A Biogeography of the Human Flea, Pulex irritans L. (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae), to date the most comprehensive analysis of this species biogeography. This paper presents hypotheses about the evolution and routes taken by P. irritans, as it adapted to humans and moved out of South America to reach Europe, and eventually achieved a cosmopolitan distribution. Research published within the last 30 years have added to current understanding of this topic, with several studies of insect remains from archaeological sites having yielded specimens of P. irritans. This poster presents the preliminary results of my review of the available archaeoentomological literature. Using temporal and geographical locality data extracted from databases and publications, I have created a series of maps to illustrate the current state of knowledge about the biogeography of the Human Flea.

Illuminating the Schreiber Wood Project: Exploring the Diversity of Late 19th to Early 20th Century Lighting Devices in Ontario
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Karol Guayasamin - University of Toronto

The Schreiber Wood Project investigates the cultural landscape created by a late 19th to early 20th century settler family on a portion of what is now the University of Toronto Mississauga campus. The project operates as an archaeological field school that focuses on sites (AjGw-534 & -535) associated with two of the three houses built by the Schreiber family. The Schreiber Wood Project has accumulated a large collection of artifacts consisting of ceramic, metal, and glass. Prominent among all of these categories of artifacts from the sites are items related to lighting devices, particularly oil lamps. This poster will provide a tentative criteria for oil lamp characteristics that may serve to differentiate lighting device glass from a large collection of vessel glass. The poster also examines how variations in oil lamps can both indicate differing functions and provide insights into the age of individual artifacts in relation to the Schreiber family occupation during the late 19th to early 20th century.

Loyalist Material Culture and Historical Archaeology in the Grand Lake Meadows, New Brunswick
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Emily Draicchio - Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History (Pointe-à-Callière)
  • Gabriel Hrynick - University of New Brunswick

The Grand Lake Meadows (GLM) was a locus of Loyalist settlement beginning in 1783 in what became the province of New Brunswick. The GLM spans the counties of Queens and Sunbury and is known today as the largest freshwater wetland in New Brunswick and the richest in eastern Canada. Although extensive pre-Contact archaeological research has been completed in the GLM, far less historical archaeology has been conducted, particularly regarding the Loyalists. This poster discusses promising areas in the GLM for future archaeological research through an analysis of GIS site maps alongside archival documents including land grants, probate records, and cadastral maps. In doing so, this poster highlights information about the Loyalists who settled in the GLM and provides a selection of case studies to offer a broader understanding of Loyalist life in New Brunswick.

Meaningful Relationships and Care: Current Practices within Museums Representing Indigenous Peoples
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Tienne  Johnson - Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador

Museums are often regarded as respected places of learning; however, they have played a significant role creating and disseminating stereotypes about Indigenous People by misrepresenting them and their cultures. This, coupled with the often violent way that material culture has been collected, has left museums with legacies that can be harmful and unwelcoming to Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous activism both within and outside heritage spheres has led to documents such as UNDRIP, which affirm Indigenous sovereignties and rights to their culture and heritage, and have set a new precedent for how museums should operate and represent Indigenous cultures. This poster examines eight museums from across Canada, the USA, and Germany to understand how they are engaging with the Indigenous Nations they represent, and further, how they are counteracting their legacies to develop meaningful working relationships.

Provisioning the Provisioners: An Analysis of Animal Use in Hudson’s Bay Company Journals from South Branch House in Saskatchewan
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Anna Hoimyr - University of Saskatchewan

South Branch House is a Hudson’s Bay Company fort located on the South Saskatchewan River. It was one of the earliest fur-trade sites in Saskatchewan that operated from 1786 until 1794. Daily journals were kept by the factors over the course of the fort’s operation, with nine of these journals preserved in the HBC archives today. These records hold important information about the uses of various animal species at South Branch House and can be used to understand dietary, subsistence, and trade practices. These journals are utilized in this presentation to answer the following research questions: 1) which animal species were written about and in what quantities, 2) in what seasons animals were used and for what purposes, and 3) how European fur-trader’s dependence on the Indigenous peoples can be seen in the HBC journal records. The answers to these questions contain relevant insights into aspects of hunter’s and trader’s everyday lives, a topic that is not commonly explored in the field of fur trade archaeology.

The Effectiveness of Heuristic Cluster Analysis in Domestic Space-use Research on the Northern Plains.
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Zoe Cascadden-Jassal - University of Calgary

Tipi rings are one of the most common archaeological sites found across the Northern Plains. Given their relative abundance, exploring how we can analyze these sites and gain an understanding of their organization is important for elucidating the every day lives of past plains inhabitants. In 2000, a space-use model was developed by Dr. Gerald Oetelaar from the excavation of EgPn-375, a tipi ring site in Alberta. This model was created using visual analysis of artifact distribution. In my work, I re-examined this site to determine if the identified clusters of artifacts used to create the space-use model are present when examined using statistical cluster analysis. This presentation will discuss if the ArcGIS™ tool Cluster Analysis, a heuristic tool which can account for site and artifact-specific characteristics, is an effective tool for examining artifact distributions at archaeological sites. The result of the research indicates that the spatial delineations determined within EgPn-375 are statistically valid, thus the model has continuing applicability with some updates, and indicates that methods of spatial analysis such as Cluster Analysis are useful tools in understanding archaeological space-use and artifact distribution.

Welcome Back to the New Brunswick Archaeology Podcast: Podcasting as a Tool for Public Archaeology
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Kenneth Holyoke - University of Lethbridge
  • Gabriel Hrynick - University of New Brunswick
  • Emanuel Akel - University of Lethbridge

The New Brunswick Archaeology Podcast Project (NBAPP) was launched in 2023 to respond to a lack of publicly accessible information about archaeological history and archaeological practice in the province. In just over a year, the fortnightly podcast has reviewed the nearly 13,000 year archaeological history of  New Brunswick, profiled important sites, and featured interviews with leading scholars. It has also engaged important topics such as pseudoarchaeology, cultural resource management, publication in archaeology, and Indigenous rights. Podcasting is a uniquely accessible medium for archaeologists to engage with the “many publics,” especially in regions that lack many of the traditional mechanisms for public engagement. The sustained growth of the NBAPP has demonstrated an appetite for this engagement in New Brunswick and more broadly. In this poster, we summarize the progress of the podcast so far, and share some of the lessons we have learned. We suggest that other archaeologists should consider podcasting as a tool for responding to ethical requirements to share and promote archaeology in a manner that is accessible to non-archaeologists, and engage undergraduate students in that process.

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Kim Cloutier, Heritage Conservation Branch – Government of Saskatchewan
  • Denise Huynh, Department of Anthropology – University of Saskatchewan
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

European trade goods began appearing in Saskatchewan by the mid 1500s via Indigenous trade networks. By the mid 1700s European traders had established a permanent presence in the west, which is considered the start of the Historic Period in Saskatchewan. By the late 19th century, the human and natural landscape in Saskatchewan had changed dramatically. The near extinction of the bison by the 1870s and the subsequent treaties forever altered the lifestyles of Indigenous and Métis peoples. Government policies and land surveys changed the prairie landscape as settlers began taking up homesteads, with industrial development and urban development accompanying European-focused settlement.

Much of the early research into historic period archaeology in Saskatchewan focused on fur trade posts and notable military places or events such as North-West Mounted Police posts and the Northwest Resistance. Over the decades historic period archaeological research has expanded to include the stories of Indigenous and Métis peoples’ experiences during this period and their adaptation to the influx of missionaries, settlers and material goods, as well as the stories of the settlers of various backgrounds – Ukrainian, French, Russian, English, African American, Finnish, Mennonite, Doukhobor and others – who arrived to seek a new life and helped to shape the communities and urban centres in which they lived.

This session is dedicated to Dr. Margaret Kennedy who inspired a generation of archaeologists to learn about and research the changing prairie landscape and the historic period during her tenure in the Archaeology department at the University of Saskatchewan where she was on faculty for 25 years until her retirement in 2018. Many of her students have remained in the heritage sector and have found roles as consultants, academics, and regulators.

Presentations

Fishing during the Fur Trade at Fort Carlton, SK (FfNp-1)
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Alexis Hunter

Fort Carlton is a fur-trade site located approximately 100 km north of Saskatoon, SK on the southern bank of the North Saskatchewan River. Established in 1810, it operated until 1885 as a provision center, mail hub, and trading post owned by the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). This site was excavated from 2021-2023 by the USask Department of Anthropology undergraduate field school and Saskatchewan Archaeological Society public volunteer programs. Analysis of faunal remains suggests that large artiodactyls were a major focus of subsistence activities undertaken at this location. However, remains of fish, birds, and other species were also recovered. The focus of this presentation is to discuss the role of fishing at this fort by using both zooarchaeological data and information available in the HBC journals. It will include information on quantities of fish remains recovered at the site, species present, their locations within the excavation units, and a summary of all fishing-related artifacts that were recovered. This data will be compared to the information about fishing mentioned in the historical records. Overall, this presentation will demonstrate a need in further research on roles of fishing at fur-trade era sites on the Canadian Plains.

Insects Unearthed: Archaeoentomological Insights from Fort Carlton Provincial Park (FfNp-1)
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Alyshia Reesor

Archaeoentomologists study insect remains in archaeological contexts to derive information about past environments, human behaviour, and cultural practices. Analyzing insects provides insights into hygiene, sanitation, health, funerary customs, and ecological conditions as human activities influence insect presence. Environments that inhibit the decomposition of organic materials allow for the preservation of insects, particularly those with chitinous exoskeletons like beetles. The 2021 excavation at Fort Carlton Provincial Park (FfNp-1) revealed well-preserved organic materials, including seeds, wood, birch bark objects, and leather, alongside portions of a floor highlighting the site’s potential for archaeoentomological research. The excavation of unit 32 in Block C in 2022 exposed additional sections of the preserved floor uncovered in 2021 and facilitated the collection of soil samples for subsequent analysis. The analysis of these samples resulted in the successful retrieval of insect remains. These remains, along with the discovery of delousing combs in the 2023 season, further attest to this site’s potential for detailed archaeoentomological research.

Old Trails, new directions: Relocation of historic trails to understand past settlement.
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Scott Hamilton - Lakehead University
  • Keegan Tremblay - Lakehead University

As part of research at Fort Ellice and the old Métis settlement of Ste Madeline, historic and modern maps have been used to identify elements of the cultural geography reflected in historic trail systems. This involves integration of modern cartography with Dominion Land Survey Township plans and other archival maps. While such historic information has long been available in various archives, it and other digital data has become available for free download. This has permitted integration with GIS to enable experimentation how best to extract information to further analysis.

Tracking Down South Branch House II: An Archaeological Investigation Using Ground Penetrating Radar
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Mike Markowski - Atlheritage Services

In 1942, Arthur S. Morton visited and recorded the Hudson’s Bay Company’s (HBC) Carlton House II and the North West Company’s (NWC) South Branch House II (1805 to 1810).  No post journals exist for either post, a situation that makes the identification of this site rather difficult. 

A preliminary archaeological investigation of the assumed location of the trading posts was completed in 2018.  Based on the location and artifacts discovered, the site was formally recorded and provided with Borden number designation FeNm-208.

In 2022, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys were completed at FeNm-208.  Several features (i.e., building foundations, buried features) were identified along with portions of a well-defined stockade wall.  The GPR survey at FeNm-208 resulted in the collection of exceptional interpretive data.

A stockade wall has been identified along with several additional insights as to how the site area was used.  GPR data suggests various building stages, with buildings located outside of the stockade wall and overlapping with the stockade wall, which may suggest that these features are the remains of the original buildings (prior to the construction of the stockade wall), or most likely the re-use of the former trading post site area by early Métis settlers.  

What the Fort? An Overview of the 2021-2023 Field Seasons at Fort Carlton
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Sarah Pocha-Tait - University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Archaeological Society

Fort Carlton was a fur trade post which operated from 1810-1885. Its original location at the forks of the two Saskatchewan Rivers opened in 1795, but in 1810 it moved further southwest to a prime location along the North Saskatchewan River. This area holds the Cree name Pehonanik meaning “the waiting place”. The fort underwent five separate building phases during its time at this second location. Excavations in the 1960s and 70s by Ian Dyck and Anthony Ranere revealed the fourth and fifth building phases, which is where the reconstructed fort stands today at Fort Carlton Provincial Park. Further excavations ensued from 2021-2023 to the west of the reconstructed fort in search of the previous building phases and other features. The artifact assemblage currently sits at approximately 50,000, with about 80% consisting of faunal remains. This presentation will highlight some of the artifacts such as birch bark and bone tools. It will also touch on current thesis research being done with the ceramic assemblage through a Métis lens.

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Krista Gilliland, Western Heritage

Session Abstract

Curiosity and the desire to learn are some of the most engaging and exciting qualities of being human, and are essential qualities for those working in the heritage disciplines. 

How do we know what we think we know about the past? Approaches to building understandings of the past are varied and include science-based methods, experimental archaeology, and traditional knowledge. These approaches may be framed as representing opposing views or truths. However, a multi- or interdisciplinary approach integrating a diverse range of methods can provide unique and complementary insights and build holistic, inclusive understandings of the past. 

The purpose of this session is to bring together heritage researchers that employ a variety of methods in studying artifacts, features, archaeological sites, landscapes, or palaeoenvironments, and to promote inter- and intra-disciplinary discussions and learning.

Academic and consulting professionals, and community-based and student heritage researchers are encouraged to submit abstracts as part of this session, with the intention to share results of studies that address questions about the past using one or more methods that range from science-based, to traditional knowledge and oral histories, to archival research, and beyond. Presenters are encouraged to follow a format that begins with a problem or question that they have addressed in their work.

Presentations

Aerial Remote Sensing, Archives and Geomatics: Integrating and evaluating diverse spatial data.
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Scott Hamilton - Lakehead University
  • Nick Kuncewicz - Lakehead University

Integration of map information to support archaeological inference is often a frustrating process of grappling with issues of precision, accuracy, scale and data resolution. Over the past decade the nature and availability of map data has rapidly transformed, affecting how we collect, integrate and analyze it. Particularly important for our analysis are Manitoba provincial ‘data liberation’ policies whereby high quality geomatic data is readily available for download.  The Fort Ellice investigations have involved integration of precisely georeferenced aerial data with that collected using Unmapped Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). These latter data feature output from diverse sensors beyond conventional ‘visible light’ cameras.  These modern baseline data are then evaluated utilizing archival information to further non-invasive archaeological prospection.

Beyond Similarity: Evidence of Scottsbluff Point Cloning in Central Alberta
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Bob Dawe - Royal Alberta Museum
  • Karen Giering - Royal Alberta Museum

In central Alberta, a variety of the Scottsbluff projectile point type has been identified that is so similar that it must have been made by a common group, and possibly the same person. The sample size of this peculiar type is quite small but the conformity to exacting dimensions in this group warrants the assignation of a common type name which we propose to be the Redwater variant of the Scottsbluff projectile point type. The Redwater type points that have been identified are almost exclusively Knife River Flint, the closest source of which is more than 1100 kilometres from where these artifacts were recovered.  What remains to be understood is the mechanism by which such artifact clones came to light so far from the source of the stone the majority of these were made from. It is hypothesized that these artifacts were manufactured by a craft specialist, but whether the manufacture occurred in the toolstone source area, or near the location of recovery, remains an enigma.

Keywords: Scottsbluff, projectile point, Knife River Flint, craft specialization

How to Interpret First Nations Maps using their Perceptions of the World
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Gerald Oetelaar - University of Calgary

A number of archivists, historians and archaeologists have made important contributions to our understanding of maps produced by members of First Nations and Inuit communities. Perhaps none of these cartographic representations has received as much attention as that produced by Ac ko mok ki for Peter Fidler at Chesterfield House in 1801 and 1802. One of the greatest challenges in deciphering these historical documents is the identification of landmarks depicted and labelled on these Blackfoot maps. Of particular interest is the identification of the named peaks depicted and labelled within the double lines representing the Rocky Mountains. Earlier attempts have focussed primarily on relating the Blackfoot names to mountains with similar modern names or in terms of their location relative to other peaks. However, none of the researchers have tried to incorporate the Blackfoot understanding of the world in their approaches to the interpretation of the maps. In this presentation, I propose to illustrate the benefits of adopting the Blackfoot worldview in combination with our Western understanding of modern cartographic conventions to outline a process for the identification of specific peaks on one of Ac Ko Mok ki’s map.

Testing, Critiquing, and Falsifying Social Evolutionary Models About Hunter-Gatherer Sites Through Lenses of Scientific Reasoning, Archaeological Evidence, and Indigenous Knowledge: How We Know What We Know About Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Kevin McGeough - University of Lethbridge
  • Shawn Bubel - University of Lethbridge

Archaeological studies of hunter-gatherer sites over the past seventy years have shown that there is widespread dissatisfaction with this as a social evolutionary category, and yet researchers continue to use this nomenclature. The term “hunter-gatherer” has come to be seen as limiting, especially since more diversity is attested in the archaeological evidence for these cultural groups than posited in older socio-taxonomic models. Using Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump as an example, we show how traditional, social evolutionary interpretations of the site can be limiting, especially with their focus on utilitarian, subsistence, and economic readings. However, by thinking about how the site does not fit the expectations generated through the category of “hunter-gatherer”, multi-vocalic interpretations of the past can be produced. Ironically, by falsifying different postulates of these older taxonomic categories, it becomes apparent that they are working as scientific models are intended. We argue that strong, though oversimplistic, models help us know what we know, and how the application of those models in tandem with more recent anthropological theory and Indigenous knowledge can promote new means of thinking about the past and present.  

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Steven Dorland, Grand Valley State University
  • Sarah Hazell, University of Toronto Mississauga
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

Indigenous archaeologies has grown significantly, resulting in the development of new methodologies and frameworks that are grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being. Through these ways, Indigenous voices, experiences and scholarship are centred to  provide fruitful avenues to decolonize the discipline. In this session, we present the diversity of Indigenous archaeologies taking place in Northeastern North America, emphasising the benefits of engaging in true partnerships and relationship building with Indigenous communities. As you will see in this session, there is not one way to engage in Indigenous archaeologies as each community is unique with their own needs, interests and goals, and each community partnership involves different groups of settler and Indigenous archaeologists. However, an overlying theme becomes apparent, an emphasis on relationship building that is centred on respect, reciprocity, trust, and gratitude. By effectively braiding Indigenous archaeologies in Northeastern North America, we contribute to decolonize and enhance archaeology in this region and elsewhere. 

 

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Shahrzad Parsaei
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

The greatest mysteries of human existence are creation and death. One of the concepts that has plagued humankind is the creation of the universe and humans, followed by the approach of death and the world after life. Stories and myths that depict the world after death and describe the continuance of human existence in another world have been developed through the seeking of the mystery of immortality, the fear of death, and human curiosity about the happenings of the world after death.

Burial is one of the most significant manifestations of human life since it represents not only the people's religion and culture but also their thoughts and beliefs about death and the world after life. Burial patterns in any society are a function of the religious and ideological beliefs of that region. Climate, social status, gender, age, and the continuation of cultural patterns in the region's traditions all have an impact on the burial pattern. Burial patterns alter with the entrance of new faiths, although these changes are minor, and we witness the persistence of burial practices, including hypogeum burial, which has varied over time. Despite the passage of time and religious change, the tradition of burial in the hypogeum that began in the third millennium BC and has been impacted by variables such as religion, climate, and the cultural patterns of each region has persisted in varied geographical and cultural areas.

The purpose of this research is to investigate archaeological evidence of hypogeum tombs in Near Eastern geography. Investigating the geographical regions where the earliest examples were discovered, the cultures and ethnic groups they belonged to, the religious practices and worldviews these people held over time, during various eras, and eventually looking into the factors that have influenced the persistence and evolution of the hypogeum burial tradition.

Presentations

Investigation and Analysis of Hypogeum Burial Patterns in The Near East (Continuity or Change)
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Shahrzad Parsaei

Burial is one of the most significant manifestations of human life since it represents not only the people's religion and culture but also their thoughts and beliefs about death and the world after life. Burial patterns in any society are a function of the religious and ideological beliefs of that region. Climate, social status, gender, age, and the continuation of cultural patterns in the region's traditions all have an impact on the burial pattern. Burial patterns alter with the entrance of new faiths, although these changes are minor, and we witness the persistence of burial practices. The hypogeum burial custom, which dates back to the third millennium BC, has persisted in a variety of geographical and cultural regions despite the passage of time and changes in faith and philosophy.

The purpose of this research is to investigate archaeological evidence of hypogeum tombs in Near Eastern geography. Investigating the geographical regions where the earliest examples were discovered, the cultures and ethnic groups they belonged to, the religious practices and worldviews these people held over time, during various eras, and eventually looking into the factors that have influenced the persistence and evolution of the hypogeum burial tradition.

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Lyndsay Dagg, Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology, University of Alberta
  • Stephanie Halmhofer, Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology, University of Alberta
  • Dawn Wambold, Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology, University of Alberta
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

Recent years have seen a resurgence of historical archaeology in Western Canada. One reason for this may be the increased role of Indigenous community-led research. While pre-colonial Indigenous archaeology has a long history, more and more communities are interested in the ways archaeology can tell stories about Indigenous resiliency post European contact. Historical archaeology thus becomes a powerful tool for giving voice to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples who were previously silenced in times when written records focused on those who were predominantly wealthy, literate, and European men.

As part of this resurgence, we acknowledge that historical archaeology has been characterized as a multi-disciplinary field that embodies a reciprocal relationship between archaeology and history (Orser, 2017:16), where historical records and oral histories can add rich insight and context to archaeology and archaeology can add temporal depth to the historical record and reveal stories not previously told. While this allows for the incorporation of research methodologies from both disciplines, it also means that the methodological challenges and advances from each discipline are present. As Charles Orser (2015:117) noted of historical archaeology, “ideas change and methods improve with the introduction of new concepts and the development of innovative technologies.” Whether conducting research in the library and archives, or solving fieldwork problems unique to historic sites, we invite presenters from the field of historical archaeology to share their research experiences and their solutions to methodological challenges that they have encountered.

Presentations

How Many Laser Scanners Does it Take to Rerelocate a Building? Discussing Digital Repatriation of a Kootenai Brown Cabin
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Madisen Hvidberg - University of Calgary
  • Peter Dawson - University of Calgary
  • Christina Robinson - University of Calgary

“Kootenai” Brown is well-known in Canadian history for being the first European to see and experience what is now known as Waterton Lakes National Park. In his years at Waterton Lakes Brown lived at at least four places: the Kanouse Cabin, his first homestead, the second homestead, and his house at Lake Linnet. All of these locations have been known historically until 1977 when his second homestead was relocated to the Kootenai Brown Pioneering Village in Pincher Creek. Sometime after it was moved, the original location of the homestead was lost to memory.

The disconnect between cabin and location lasted until 2016 when a grove containing culturally modified trees (CMTs) was identified as the cabins’ location by Parks Canada employee Edwin Knox. In May 2022, the Digital Heritage Research lab at the University of Calgary digitally captured the meadow as well as the surrounding CMTs using geoSLAM mobile mapping technology. In July 2023, Kootenai Brown cabin in Pincher Creek was documented with a Z+F 5010X IMAGER with the intention of merging the datasets. The digital reconnection of cabin with surroundings provides a unique example of using innovative technologies to explore topics in historic archaeology.  

Machine-Assisted Seed Bead Recovery: The Example of Chimney Coulee (DjOe-6)
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Solène Mallet Gauthier - University of Alberta

Small colourful glass beads, called seed beads, are found frequently on historic-period sites in western Canada. Produced in Europe, they were acquired at trading posts and used by Indigenous women to decorate functional items. However, their small size has made it that they are not systematically sought out by archaeologists, which often results in the recovery of what is likely only a fraction of the total number of seed beads deposited at a site. While some might argue that only a limited amount of knowledge can be obtained from these mass-produced objects, this bias in the recovery of seed beads limits the space occupied by Indigenous women in archaeological narratives. To remedy to this problem, members of the EMITA (Exploring Métis Identity Through Archaeology) project have been experimenting with different systems of sediment screening to collect seed beads from Métis archaeological sites. Using the example of the work done at Chimney Coulee (DjOe-6) in the summer of 2023, I will present the most efficient system EMITA members have come up with so far. The goal of the presentation is to inspire other archaeologists to build their own on-site water-screening systems and experiment with them.

Rabbit holes: Not Just a Nuisance in the Field
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • R. Dawn Wambold - Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology, University of Alberta

A research rabbit hole can refer to a situation in which you are so interested in the subject matter that you can’t stop researching it and all the various lines of inquiry that it takes you down. At their best, research rabbit holes are tangential to the research that you are working on. At their worst, they are wholly unrelated. While literal rabbit holes in the field pose a tripping hazard on the surface and can complicate subsurface stratigraphy, metaphorical rabbit holes can present their own forms of tripping hazards and complications. In my own work seeking the archaeological presence of the Métis in Southern Alberta, I have encountered both the literal and figurative versions of the rabbit hole. In this presentation I will discuss some of the rabbit holes that I have encountered in the archives, the interesting places that they have taken me, and present a few of the strategies that I will use going forward to sidestep their hazards.

Reframing the Importance of Excavations: The Use of Geophysics and Air Photos in Historic Landscape Archaeology
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Lyndsay Dagg - University of ALberta

For most of archaeology’s history excavations have been the most important form of investigating a site, with countless hours and years devoted to improving excavation techniques. However, as more and more methods of archaeological research have begun to be developed and applied to sites, excavations are no longer as important as they once were. The use of non-invasive geophysical techniques has grown in popularity in recent years at all types of archaeological sites but has been found to be particularly useful at Indigenous sites where non-invasive methods of investigation are often preferred, and historic sites when combined with archival data. While these methods have often been used to inform excavations, excavations themselves can become less important depending on the research goal, sometimes slipping into a more supplementary role. In this paper, I use the Métis Historic Site, River Lots 23 & 24 in St. Albert, Alberta to argue that excavations can be a helpful supplemental method for supporting the results of archival research and geophysical surveys, rather than the primary focus of an archaeological investigation.

Where a Cabin is Not Just a Cabin: Combining Archives and Archaeology to Uncover a 1920s Conspiritual Organization in British Columbia
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Stephanie Halmhofer - Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology, University of Alberta

Led by the enigmatic Brother XII, from 1927 to 1933 a conspiritual organization called the Aquarian Foundation constructed three settlements on the south coast of British Columbia (BC). Each was built to serve a specific ideological purpose within the Foundation’s conspiritual worldviews – two were for the spiritual transition of humanity that was to be led by the spiritual Masters of Wisdom from Atlantis, and one was for exposing an evil cabal working towards total world domination. Texts, such as books, articles, and pamphlets, are important pieces of the Aquarian Foundation’s material culture, used by Brother XII in the 1920s to communicate conspiritual ideals and goals to Foundation members, and by me in the 2020s to uncover a deeper understanding of the Foundation’s settlements that I am examining archaeologically. My presentation will share examples of how I am combining texts and other archival materials with archaeology to not only locate the Aquarian Foundation’s built structures and related material culture, but to also uncover a deeper understanding of what those structures and material culture meant to the Aquarian Foundation’s members.   

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Michael Lewis, Conservation of Archaeological Materials Laboratory

Session Abstract

This session explores topics related to the themes of Maritime Archaeology and Conservation. Canada has three oceans, over two million lakes, and countless waterways, which have played a vital role in the history of the nation and making the principles of Maritime Archaeology relevant to even the most landlocked sites in the country. Canadian and international presentations may be included in the session.

Presentations

Wooden Ferry Construction and Propulsion: a 1916 Ferry at Frenchman’s Butte, Saskatchewan
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Michael Lewis - Conservation of Archaeological Materials Laboratory

Prior to the construction of bridges, the most common and safest method to cross the rivers in the Canadian prairies was to be ferried across, due to the severe and dangerous currents within the rivers.  These ferries were locally manufactured to no standard plan, with the knowledge that the ferries would have a limited useful life span before being discarded.

This paper, using as a case study of the 1916 wooden ferry at Frenchmen’s Butte, Saskatchewan; describes the geographic region of their service, their construction methods, unique propulsion, and the recreation of working drawings and a 3D model based upon a preserved ferry.  Thus, providing an archaeological record of these important, but easily overlooked, watercraft in the Canadian Prairies.  

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • CAA Student Committee
  • Susannah Clinker, University of Toronto
  • Christie Fender, University of Saskatchewan
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

Embark on an exploration of the changing tides in archaeology, as witnessed through the perspectives of emerging scholars in the CAA Student Committee’s session, "NextGen Archaeology." Student perspectives take center stage as we delve into the transformative shifts reshaping archaeology as a discipline. From reimagining education both inside and outside the classroom to challenging narratives and leveraging cutting-edge technologies, this session invites submissions that amplify the fresh voices steering the future course of archaeology. This session is aimed primarily at students and early-career researchers who are interested in gaining more presentation experience and who wish to share their voices with the archaeological community.  The presentations can be delivered in person or pre-recorded using. Presentations for this session can involve a research project that has preliminary findings, the results of an honour’s thesis or independent project, a research proposal, a story from the field, a short history of your favourite object, a book review, or a tasty field recipe- the only catch is your presentation must be given in 5 minutes!

Please submit an abstract using the Abstract Submission Form on the CAA website to secure a slot in the session. Abstracts should provide a general description of your topic and should be no more than 250 words. Visual components for presentations from accepted presenters will be limited to only 1-3 slides and will be requested before the presentation date to allow for compilation and smooth transition between presentations. A synchronous question-and-answer period may be offered at the end of the session. Please also note that we welcome diverse submissions that may not strictly adhere to the suggested theme. The goal of this session is to foster a rich and varied discussion from a broad spectrum of students. We look forward to your submission and hearing your valuable perspectives and insights!

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Tommy Ng, Bison Historical Services Ltd.
  • John Somogyi-Csizmazia, North Island College
  • Neha Gupta, University of British Columbia, Okanagan

Session Abstract

The roundtable session builds on an invited “Black and POC in Archaeology” roundtable in 2021 which was held virtually. In this in-person roundtable, we invite archaeologists at all stages of their careers and from any sector to join the conversation on proposals to support Black and racialized archaeology students, CRM professionals, and academics in Canadian archaeology.

Together, we seek to listen, share, and reflect on actionable steps to implement proposals. Participants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the proposals prior to the roundtable. The proposals are published in the Canadian Journal of Archaeology (Gupta et al. forthcoming
2024, Issue 1).

 

 

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Chelsea Colwell-Pasch, Colbr Consulting Inc.
  • Sara Beanlands, Boreas Heritage
  • Richard Grubb, ACRA
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

This roundtable session is seeking individuals who are passionate about advancing CRM archaeology in Canada in the creation of, and need for, a CRM trade association. Similar to, and with support of, the American Cultural Resources Association (ACRA), this proposed association will serve as a pillar of support for CRM archaeology firms and archaeologists across the country, provide a unified voice to lobby all levels of government and regulators for better practices and policies, and actively promote the teaching of CRM archaeology as an essential discipline in universities and academic institutions. Emphasizing this support is vital in fostering a thriving and sustainable future for CRM archaeology, ensuring the protection of our shared cultural heritage for generations to come. This roundtable will discuss topics critical to the CRM industry and will go over the initial setup and running of this membership-based association. It is believed that together, we can collectively elevate the standards of CRM archaeology and foster greater collaboration within our community. As an example of how a CRM trade association can be successful in Canada, a member of ACRA’s Executive Committee will present a brief history of that association, why it was formed, and how it benefits the CRM community in the United States. If you and the firm or institution you represent are interested in assisting in the creation of this professional association and becoming a member, this roundtable session is important to attend. The creation of a CRM trade association is an important first step in working together to establish a vibrant and influential platform for CRM archaeologists in Canada.

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Jodi Howe, Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq
  • Michelle A. Lelièvre, William and Mary
  • Sara Beanlands, Boreas Heritage

Session Abstract

The proposed session builds on the experiences of Indigenous archaeologists from across Canada shared during the “Supporting Well-Being in Indigenous Archaeology: Enacting Trauma-Informed Practices,” session held at the 2023 CAA's on the Membertou First Nation. In that session, we learned of the pain and trauma that many Indigenous archaeologists experience when archaeological practices ignore or dishonour their communities' values, including cultural and spiritual practices.

For the 2024 CAA's, we propose to take the next step toward supporting well-being in Indigenous archaeology by convening a roundtable of practitioners to share the practices they have enacted to respect Indigenous values, knowledge, practices, and interpretive frameworks. We seek contributions that describe the specific ways practitioners have incorporated local Indigenous worldviews, teachings, and experiences in the planning, fieldwork, analysis, and dissemination of results. We are also seeking contributions from archaeologists who have prioritized making their field sites, labs, and classrooms safe for members of marginalized and under-represented communities in a trauma-informed way.

We aim to foster a supportive environment that facilitates cross-cultural learning and training through dialogue around best practices and lessons learned between roundtable participants and CAA attendees. We hope the roundtable will result in recommendations to archaeologists—especially project directors and principal investigators—for how to enact culturally-sensitive and trauma-informed approaches to field- and lab-work, teaching, mentoring, and community collaborations.

 

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Catherine Cottreau-Robins, Nova Scotia Museum

Session Abstract

New archaeology field and laboratory research focused on sites of the seventeenth century in the Atlantic Northeast region, has been underway in recent years. Among the current research topics, insights are emerging concerning landscape viewshed analysis, posts and stations as locales of multiple identities, food and diet, Indigenous collaboration, objects of trade and exchange, environmental impacts to sites, fresh review of old collections, copper and geochemical provenance studies, geophysics, and public engagement. This session is a call for papers within the broad realm of the title. The goal of the session is to consider more fully the work that is happening in the Atlantic Northeast and to provide participants with an opportunity to connect. It is anticipated that a wide-ranging mix of exciting and valuable information will be shared.

Presentations

Engineering Avalon: Investigating Protoindustrial and Domestic Wastewater Systems in 17th-century Ferryland, Newfoundland
Presentation format: Online - pre-recorded
Author(s):
  • Barry Gaulton - Memorial University

Settled by the English in 1621, the colony of Avalon in Ferryland, Newfoundland has been studied by archaeologists for decades revealing, among other things, what may be the first European sanitation system in North America. Used to redirect and dissipate various forms of wastewater and excrement, the partially excavated 17th-century remains include subterranean masonry drains associated with the village’s brewhouse, stable, and kitchen, surface gutters placed along exterior cobblestone pavements, and even a communal privy positioned beside the inner harbor so that its contents were ‘flushed’ twice daily with the tides. Through the combined efforts of archaeologists and engineers, a project is underway to investigate the design, construction, and operation of individual drainage features and combined sanitation systems at Ferryland through the application of civil engineering principles. GPR, LiDAR, high-resolution Digital Elevation Models and computer simulations will be employed in these investigations. The goal is to provide a comprehensive local case study of early modern sanitation management, which includes considerations of site-specific ground slope, drainage, and availability of materials into How, What and Where things were built. Future research will contextualize these early sanitation practices within comparable traditions in Southwest England where most of Ferryland’s colonists originated.

Remote Sensing Techniques and Archaeological Prospection and Mapping of 17th Century Fur Trade Sites in Nova Scotia
Presentation format: Online - pre-recorded
Author(s):
  • Jonathan Fowler - Saint Mary's University and Northeast Archaeological Research

During the 17th century, a surprising number of commercial organizations operated fortified fur trade posts in what is now Atlantic Canada. Relatively few of these sites have been studied archaeologically, one factor obstructing our inquiries being their often-ephemeral nature. Even historically well-known sites have sometimes evaded detection. Remote sensing can play a constructive role here.

Archaeological remote sensing practitioners often distinguish between prospection (finding sites), and mapping (plotting their features). Although the methods and instruments employed in each activity can overlap, mapping surveys tend to be more intensive and consequently more time-consuming and data-rich. Ideally, prospection surveys inform mapping surveys, which in turn allow subsurface testing programs to be targeted to maximum advantage.

For the past several years, we have been employing a variety of aerial and terrestrial remote sensing techniques at 17th century fur trade posts in Nova Scotia, and this paper will briefly review sites studied, instruments employed, and lessons learned. Techniques include aerial LiDAR, 3D photogrammetry, and terrestrial electromagnetic induction (magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity) and ground-penetrating radar. The sites include Port-Royal, Fort St-Louis, Fort St-Pierre, and Fort Ste-Marie, each of which offers unique challenges and insights.   

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Andrew Martindale, University of British Columbia
  • Bryn Letham, Coast Mountain College
  • Trevor Orchard, University of Toronto Mississauga
  • Terence Clark, University of Saskatchewan
  • Katherine Patton, University of Toronto

Session Abstract

During a career in archaeology spanning more than four decades, Professor Gary Coupland had a profound influence on the understanding of Northwest Coast archaeology, on the practice of household archaeology, and on countless students and colleagues. Over the course of his field career Gary worked at a number of very prominent sites in various regions of coastal British Columbia. With his PhD supervisor and collaborator, RG Matson, Gary quite literally wrote the book on Northwest Coast archaeology. In addition, his decades-long interest in household archaeology led to international influence in that area of research. Several years after his retirement from the University of Toronto, this session brings together some of Gary’s colleagues and past students to reflect on his influence on their own research and academic histories, or to just share a good yarn about the Dude.

Presentations

A Taxonomy of Humor and Villages: Gary Coupland’s Legacy in the Northern NWC.
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Andrew Martindale - University of British Columbia

As part of this session to honour the remarkable Dr. Gary Coupland’s illustrious career, we’ve been asked to relate amusing anecdotes while commenting on his considerable influence in archaeology. To advance this effort, I employ a robust taxonomic analysis of two key legacies of Dr. Coupland: humor and settlement patterns.  For the first, I create an inventory of Potentially Humorous Events of Gary (PHEGs) and, eschewing the laborious classificatory/hierarchical typologies favoured by comedians, deploy a paradigmatic taxonomic assessment based on the axes of surrealism and absurdity to test the hypothesis that Gary is a funny man. True to science, I attempt to disprove this, my null hypothesis being that he is in fact a sourpuss. Results tentatively suggest a failure, giving us some confidence that the colleague and friend we know and love is indeed warm and funny. I apply a surprisingly similar method, developed with a team of colleagues, to assess village typologies of the Tsimshian landscapes of the northern coast of British Columbia, a landscape where Dr. Coupland’s intellectual contribution is immense.

More Lessons on NWC Houses from the Shingle Point site, BC
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • R.G. Matson - UBC

In 2007 I had a chapter in Emerging from the Mist entitled The Coast Salish House; Lessons from Shingle Point, Valdes Island, B.C. Here I return to this subject, summarizing the earlier work, and then putting it into a larger context, NWC houses in general, focussing on the transformation from small, one family winter dwellings, to multifamily houses.  When Gary Coupland and I wrote the Prehistory of the Northwest Coast, I certainly expected that once they were present, they would continue up to contact times. The archaeological record present in the early 1990s certainly did not appear to show that pattern. Instead it appeared to show variability in houses within the NWC and through time. From this perspective the Paul Mason site appears to be critical in understanding the nature of this important but little understood transformation.  Thus it is evaluated here in some detail.

Shell middens, terraces, and heaps: What I learned from Gary Coupland about shell-bearing archaeological sites and how I came to love them.
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Katherine Patton - University of Toronto

While examining the relationship between people and the sea through archaeological remains has been at the centre of my research career since its beginning, shell-bearing sites became a particular focus of mine during my doctoral studies with Gary Coupland. Under Gary’s supervision in Prince Rupert Harbour, BC, part of the Ts’msyen homeland, I learned how to sample these sites, quantify their constituents, and think about them in terms of building and architecture; I also came to appreciate how stratigraphically variable and complex they can be. These days, I work more often in the Wabanaki homeland (Maine-Maritimes region) also on shell-bearing sites, or shell heaps. In this paper, I consider what it is that I learned from Gary and observe some key differences between west and east coast shell-bearing sites. I also reflect on why I can’t stop reading and writing about these amazing archaeological sites.

Social Change and the Construction of Landscapes in the Central Salish Sea
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Colin Grier - Washington State University

This paper examines the role of landscape construction in shaping the long term history of peoples of the Salish Sea in coastal southwestern British Columbia, Canada. I argue that major construction investments evident at several long-standing village sites following 1000 BP reflect a period of broad buy-in to collective projects by diverse segments of Coast Salish society. These landscape-focused efforts contrast with prior constructions, particularly burial cairns and mounds, which derived from the pursuit of social differentiation by elite in the preceding Marpole period. The key conclusion is that the period between 1000 and 500 cal BP involved a renewed effort in landscape investment focused primarily on the construction of places and the remaking of communities, realizing forms of collective action not evident (or perhaps possible) in prior times.

Three summers in Prince Rupert with Gary Coupland: Thoughts on Friendships, Surviving the Storm of the Century, and Archaeology Too
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Trevor Orchard - University of Toronto Mississauga

In the Fall of 2001 I left the familiar confines of life on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to begin a PhD under Dr. Gary Coupland’s supervision at the University of Toronto. Timing could not have been better, as Gary was set to begin a three-year SSHRC-funded field research project in Prince Rupert Harbour the following summer. As a result, less than a year after my move to Toronto, I found myself driving back across the country to my home province, in a van full of field gear, on the first of three consecutive summers spent doing archaeology on the Northwest Coast (NWC). This provided an opportunity both to work on classic NWC village sites with Gary in Prince Rupert, and to facilitate my own PhD field research in southern Haida Gwaii, in collaboration with other influential mentors from UVic and Parks Canada. In this paper, I reflect on some of the adventures that ensued and the friendships that developed. I also consider how these concurrent field projects on either side of Hecate Straight influenced my understanding of variability in NWC archaeological sites.

“One of the Most Enduring Images…”: Visualizing Houses and Households in the Archaeological Record.
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Peter Dawson - University of Calgary

In 1997, Gary Coupland organized a session on Households at the CAAs in Saskatoon. He opened his presentation with one of the best one-liners I've ever heard. At the time I had no idea how much his quip would come to define much of my research in future years. Gary’s interest in the evolution of Northwest Coast households has made a significant contribution to our understanding of social inequality and resource intensification among complex hunter-gatherers. Many of these processes played out within immense communal houses constructed from timbers and planks. Historic illustrations by artists such as John Webber (1778) allow us to visualize how the interiors of these houses appeared to European settlers. A more objective understanding of what they “actually” looked like might enable archaeologists to better understand the elusive relationship between house-form and culture. Much of my work has focused on using digital technology to visualize dwellings that no longer exist. The resulting models have served as laboratories for exploring how architecture both constrains and enables the operation of households. In this presentation, I use examples from my work in the Canadian Arctic to illustrate these ideas, as well as pay tribute to Gary’s many scholarly contributions.

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Gabriella Prager, InterGroup Consultants Ltd.

Session Abstract

Over almost 25 years of working in the Canadian Arctic I have come to appreciate the great wealth of fascinating heritage and the substantial research and work opportunities. With considerable puzzlement, I have noted the total lack of any presentations on Arctic research in the past few years of the CAA meetings. This observation coupled with the retirement of some of the prominent Arctic specialists in recent years, made me wonder if there is still interest in Arctic research. But when I reached out to a few people, the responses made it clear that there is much amazing research going on in the Arctic. This session will provide a venue for researchers to communicate some of the interesting investigations and findings that are happening and for sharing the exciting possibilities for research and ongoing work in the Arctic

Presentations

How old were these caribou? A method for estimating ages of Rangifer tarandus using dental wear and eruption
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Grace Kohut - University of Saskatchewan

Caribou and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) are key animals and carry special significance to many peoples across the North, both in domestication and wild contexts. Unsurprisingly, their remains are found at many Northern archaeological sites. Despite their prevalence, some key zooarchaeological methods, namely age estimation using tooth wear, have been unavailable or unsuitable for most substantial populations; this includes barren-ground caribou (R.t. groenlandicus) that range across much of Northern Canada. This presentation outlines a refined visual-based method for tooth wear and eruption age estimation developed. Based on caribou from Northern Canada and wild forest reindeer from Finland, this method is designed to be generally applicable to Rangifer subspecies that would be found at many archaeological sites in North America and Eurasia. Estimated ages using this method are suitable for investigating age-based demographic data that can inform about hunting and domestication strategies in the past.

Reconstructing sled pulling activity in Arctic dogs using entheseal changes
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Jessica Sick - Department of Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan
  • Angela Lieverse - Department of Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan
  • Tatiana Nomokonova - Department of Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan
  • Robert Losey - Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta

Sled dogs are among the most iconic animals of the North, and their efforts in pulling sleds facilitated trade and subsistence practices of many Indigenous groups for millennia. Though the identification of archaeological sled dogs has been mostly addressed through their association with material remains of sleds and harnessing equipment, there is currently no way to identify sled-pulling activity directly from canid remains. As part of a larger project on Indigenous dog sledding of the Western Arctic, our research focuses on developing a visual scoring manual for entheseal changes to address this knowledge gap. Entheseal changes are morphological variations to muscle, tendon, and ligament attachment sites on bone and have been extensively studied in bioarchaeology, and more recently, in reindeer and equids to reconstruct working activity during life. This method is applied to canid remains by examining how visual scores in sled dogs, pet dogs, and wild canids reflect activity and biological factors like age, sex, and body size. The results show that sled dogs have significantly higher scores than non-working canids in several attachments, demonstrating this method also as a useful tool to better understand the history and development of human-dog relationships in the North.

Rethinking archaeological survey through Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in Amittuq (northern Foxe Basin), Nunavut:
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Samantha Walker - McGill University

Pedestrian surveys in maritime regions of the Canadian Arctic often employ purposive sampling strategies that privilege outer seacoasts where large residential sites are located. These strategies have been influenced by the accessibility of coastal vs. inland sites, the heightened surface visibility of architectural remains in coastal contexts, and the economic-rationalist presumption that past people continuously occupied these settings to optimize their access to nearshore resources. In this paper, I propose that building archaeological survey designs in conversation with Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit can help address spatial biases by expanding the scope of investigations to include a greater variety of site types. Through a case study of two Tuniit (Paleo-Inuit) settlement areas in Amittuq (northern Foxe Basin), Nunavut, I outline how Inuit oral testimonies have informed targeted surveys of underrepresented contexts and the identification of newly documented sites. The research challenges dominant cultural-historical and socio-evolutionary narratives of the region's occupational history, and highlights local diversity in community practices and social structures during the Tuniit period (c. 2500 BCE – 1350 CE). 

The One-eyed Elder Woman Stitches an Ornament: Needles and Needle Cases from the Iamal Region of Arctic Siberia
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Tatiana Nomokonova - Department of Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
  • Stella Razdymakha - Arctic Research Center, Salekhard, Iamal-Nenets Autonomous District, Russian Federation
  • Lubov' Vozelova - Arctic Research Center, Salekhard, Iamal-Nenets Autonomous District, Russian Federation
  • Andrei Gusev - Arctic Research Center, Salekhard, Iamal-Nenets Autonomous District, Russian Federation
  • Andrei Plekhanov - Arctic Research Center, Salekhard, Iamal-Nenets Autonomous District, Russian Federation
  • Grace Kohut - Department of Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
  • Robert Losey - Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada) and University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, Canada)

The Iamal region of Siberia is one of many areas in the Arctic where women’s sewing skills were and are crucial to daily existence. It is home to Nenets and Khanty people and their reindeer. This territory is known as the global center of reindeer pastoralism, with many Indigenous families living a mobile lifestyle that involves moving with their animals on a seasonal basis across the tundra. Our presentation discusses needles and needle cases found at archaeological sites that were made and used by ancestors of the current Indigenous peoples of this region. We start by introducing women’s sewing bags, which are a symbolic representation of every stitch made by a woman’s hands in creating dwelling covers, bedding sets, storage bags, and every piece of clothing, all of which are crucial to the survival and well-being of her family. They embody layers of multigenerational skill, ancestral knowledge, and identity that are passed by Khanty and Nenets women to their daughters, nieces, and granddaughters. We continue with a summary of ancient needles and needle cases in an attempt to stitch together the past and present of these belongings.

Transport Matters: A Circumpolar Look at the Archaeological History of Sledding
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Robert Losey - University of Alberta
  • Katherine Latham - University of Alberta
  • T. Max Friesen - University of Toronto
  • Matt Walls - University of Calgary

One of the most important transportation technologies employed in the Circumpolar North are sleds, vehicles that are pulled or pushed across snow-covered land and sea ice. Such vehicles are and were used for daily taskwork, recreational activities, and even long-distance episodes of human dispersal. This presentation outlines the archaeological history of sleds and related gear in the North. Our survey of archaeological literature demonstrates that sleds were in use by at least the Early Holocene. Even by this period, sled designs were variable and complex, suggesting a far deeper history of use. Keeled sleds, boat-like in form, were largely confined to the European North, while low sleds are largely found within traditional Inuit lands. Built-up sleds are more widespread, being present from Europe eastward through northern Alaska. Simple forms of dog sledding were also likely being practiced by the Early Holocene, but more modern forms seem to have emerged only in the Late Holocene. Reindeer sledding first emerged around 2000 years ago and gradually developed in Eurasia into modern forms.    

You Get What You Pay For? Evaluation of Drone Photogrammetry Software for Arctic Cultural Resource Management
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Kelsey Pennanen - University of Calgary
  • Daniel Szot - InterGroup Consultants Ltd.
  • Gabriella Prager - InterGroup Consultants Ltd.
  • Lori White - Independent
  • Tim Rast - Elfshot

This paper assesses the viability of drone photogrammetric software for site mapping of archaeological features in the Canadian Arctic. An evaluation of three different software (Pix4DMapper, MapsMadeEasy, and WebODM) for aerial structure-from-motion (SfM) landscape reconstruction using two case studies from Baffin Island, Nunavut. We examine the accuracy and perform a cost-comparison analysis of the three software applications for the creation of 3D landscape reconstruction for archaeological site mapping and interpretation. Drone photogrammetry was determined to be a beneficial tool for mapping Arctic sites, even without the use of ground control points (GCPs). Open-source software (WebODM) provided an economically viable method of site documentation, the ground sampling distance (GSD) denoting the resolution of orthomosaics was found to be accurate to cm-scale precision. Paid subscription Pix4DMapper and pay-per-use MapsMadeEasy software were found to be accurate to sub-cm resolution. Pix4DMapper and WebODM georeferenced to each other within 25cm, and Maps Made Easy compared to Pix4DMapper and WebODM averaging 2-3m discrepancy. Each software accurately represented the landscape and was found to be accurate to PolarDEM within 1-2m. Similar output resolutions could be obtained by data capture using single grid flights as compared to a double grid thereby increasing efficiency of time in the field.  

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Organizer(s): 
  • Lisa Hodgetts, Department of Anthropology, The University of Western Ontario
  • Natasha Lyons, Ursus Heritage Consulting
Contact Email: 

Session Abstract

Indigenous Peoples and organizations have long histories of battling Western colonial institutions to re-establish their rights to self-determination. As affirmed by UNDRIP and other human rights instruments, Indigenous self-determination extends to the relations with and care of Ancestors and their belongings, and includes the right to self-government of internal affairs. In this session, we ask contributors what it means for the discipline of archaeology to take Indigenous sovereignty seriously. In Canada, we operate in a piecemeal system of local, regional and national policy and legislation that establishes archaeologists and other heritage practitioners as the de facto stewards of Indigenous Ancestors and belongings. How would fully respecting Indigenous sovereignty confront the status quo in Canada and elsewhere and reshape our understandings of archaeological ethics? How would it change the role of archaeologists and heritage professionals in the ‘management’, care and curation of Ancestors and belongings? What legal and policy avenues are being or could be pursued to effect the self-determination that communities demand? We invite contributors to weigh in on these and related questions from their respective standpoints, and to share case studies that are working to dismantle the colonial instruments of archaeology and restore Indigenous rights to and care of Indigenous cultural heritages.

Presentations

Epekwitnewaq Mi’kmaq Archaeology on Prince Edward Island
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Helen Kristmanson - Senior Archaeologist, L'nuey

As the indigenous people of Epekwitk, or Prince Edward Island, the Epekwitnewaq Mi’kmaq have an inherent interest in archaeology. For decades they have initiated or participated in local archaeological activities and provided support to various archaeological projects. With the recent establishment of an archaeology division in L’nuey, the Mi’kmaw rights initiative under the Epekwitk Assembly of Councils, the Epekwitnewaq Mi’kmaq have considerably strengthened their own archaeological capacity. This development is part of a much broader journey and represents decades of hard work and commitment by the Mi’kmaq Epekwitnewaq Kapmntemuow (Mi’kmaw Nation Government of PEI), the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI, and most recently, L’nuey. This paper traces that journey and shows how the Epekwitnewaq Mi’kmaq are, through formal mechanisms with the federal and provincial governments, taking an incremental and cooperative approach to the management of their archaeological affairs.

Heritage in Their Hands: Navigating Power and Possibilities for Inuvialuit Data Sovereignty in the Northwest Territories
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Emily Henry - Western University

In archaeological work, it can be said that those who control the remains of cultural heritage in the present and how it is defined, preserved, accessed, and presented have a hand of power over the past, and, thus, over the future. For decades, Indigenous communities have asserted their rights to govern themselves. More recently, attention has increasingly focused on Indigenous sovereign rights to control and manage their knowledges, cultures, and histories. To move towards Indigenous data sovereignty, my research critically analyzes Inuvialuit heritage data governance structures by examining the existing approaches to managing Inuvialuit heritage data and the perspectives of diverse actors involved in this process. This paper explores intersections of legislation, policy, and practice within the Northwest Territories as they relate to Inuvialuit heritage. How do governance frameworks support or undermine Inuvialuit data sovereignty? What opportunities and challenges exist for implementing changes to support Inuvialuit data sovereignty? Specifically, I will outline how the staff at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Center work creatively within the bounds of their legal responsibilities to the colonial government in an attempt to fulfil their ethical obligations to the NWT’s Indigenous populations, including the Inuvialuit, as they wait for more transformative change.

How Chipewyan Prairie First Nation’s Archeological Excavation at Doltu´chogh led to the Creation of their Cultural Heritage Policy
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Ave Dersch - Chipewyan Prairie Industry Relations
  • Shaun Janvier - Chipewyan Prairie Industry Relations
  • William Wadsworth - Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta
  • Kurtis  Blaikie - Ember Archaeology

Chipewyan Prairie First Nation’s territory has witnessed the large-scale removal and destruction of cultural heritage sites in the face of rapid oil sands development. This has occurred within a regulatory context that excludes First Nations people and their knowledge from historical resources management, fails to conduct adequate monitoring of historical resources, and lacks regional heritage management plans. In this presentation we share the results of our two field seasons of archaeological excavation on Chipewyan Prairie reserve lands at Doltu´chogh. Using this as a case study, we explore the deficiencies of Alberta’s regulatory system for including First Nations in the management of historic resources and present Chipewyan Prairie’s Cultural Heritage Policy as a path forward. 

Inuvialuit Sivuniksait Kappiangaqiyuaq. The Urgent Question of Inuvialuit Futures and its relation to the care of ancestors and their belongings
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Natasha Lyons - Ursus Heritage Consulting
  • Lisa Hodgetts - University of Western Ontario
  • Letitia  Pokiak - Inuvialuit scholar and beneficiary

The Inuvialuit of the Canadian Western Arctic signed a land claim with the Government of Canada in 1984 as a coordinated community response to the threat of mounting social and environmental pressures to their/our territory, and particularly oil and gas exploration. The Inuvialuit Final Agreement (IFA), considered then as now a living document, focused on the need to ensure continuing sustenance and food security through provisions for the viability of wildlife, plants, lands and waters. A heritage, culture and language chapter was not part of the original agreement; its development is part of ongoing self-government negotiations. Forty years after the signing of the IFA, and within the context of rampant effects of the climate crisis, this paper explores aspects of Inuvialuit Sivuniksait Kappiangaqiyuaq, the urgent question of Inuvialuit futures in relation to the care of ancestors and their/our artifacts/belongings. Drawing on Inuvialuit leadership’s guiding principles and heritage priorities, we offer a model of heritage policy development based on customary principles of governance and caretaking shared by Inuvialuit Elders and knowledge-holders of the past and present. This work seeks to support the efforts of Inuvialuit to reclaim sovereignty over all aspects of their/our cultural heritage.

Understanding Indigenous Data Governance through First Nations Research Governance Strategies for Archaeology and Digital Heritage in the Canadian Context
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Rebecca Bourgeois - University of Alberta
  • Neha Gupta - University of British Columbia Okanagan

Principles of Indigenous data governance such as OCAPⓇ and CARE center the rights of Indigenous Peoples in terms of controlling their data and cultural heritage. In this context, Indigenous nations have developed research governance laws and policies regarding the management, sharing, and curation of Indigenous data and cultural heritage. However, these structures have not been implemented in professional action, creating a practical disconnect between the expectations of Indigenous Peoples and heritage professionals. In this presentation, we will show this disconnection through a critical examination of Indigenous cultural heritage policy documents that outline and describe Indigenous expectations when it comes to research data and Canadian heritage legislation. We discuss current mechanisms such as co-management in light of Indigenous Peoples’ rights to fully control their heritage as affirmed in UNDRIP (2007). Specifically, we build on the work of Carroll et al. (2019), which sets out specific actions for Indigenous communities as well as western institutions to activate Indigenous data sovereignty and governance, to evaluate how Canadian institutions are responding to these calls for action. We argue that while mechanisms such as co-management in archaeology encourage conversations about Indigenous data, they do not explicitly facilitate Indigenous data sovereignty and governance of heritage.