Archaeological Prospectors

Read the full paper on the submerged Palaeoindian red ochre mines in Mexico.

Happy National Indigenous Peoples Day!

In most/all regions in Canada, a permit is required before any digging of this sort. "Anyone who digs up valuable treasure is supposed to report the find, not hang on to it or sell it to the highest bidder. But even under lockdown, crime continues."

Happy #WorldHeritageDay A great day to consider the 12,000+ years of heritage that remains along the length and breadth of the Wolastoq (St John) River in western New Brunswick. The 673 km long river runs from northern Maine through to southern New Brunswick and has been home to the Wolastoqiyik since time immemorial. The Wolastoq River is a Canadian Heritage River System and a National Historic Site with thousands of undiscovered archaeological sites within its floodplain and former shorelines.

With illegal metal-detecting becoming ever increasingly popular & unchallenged, I often see evidence of their looting in this region, too. "it is not unusual for a field archaeologist to personally encounter looting or evidence of looting activity on multiple occasions across multiple archaeological sites over the course of a career."

A fun and informative first issue of the "Archaeology at Home" newsletter by the Bristol Museum to help your future archaeologists stay engaged.

From the latest issue of the National Trust for Canada's 'locale', a series of submissions from Canadians profiling their favourite historic places. This one highlights the Wolastoq National Historic Site of Canada, that runs the length of the western side of New Brunswick and through the centre of the capital city - Fredericton.

This looks like a fantastic online event - happening this afternoon. "Given the current situation, now seems like a good time to try something new to keep people connected to Must Farm. So, we’re planning on delivering an online talk about the site with Q&A, on our Facebook page on Monday 23rd March at 4pm GMT."

A throwback to a pedestrian survey (and practising social distancing) of a lake in northern New Brunswick. Several new sites were recorded in the process of visiting this suspected Late Palaeoindian site in the fall of 1998.

Here's a fantastic illustration of why it's critical to look for archaeological resources across entire floodplains (active/former) and neighbouring land forms. Just look how much this river migrated in 30+ years. https://earthengine.google.com/timelapse/

Tonnes of natural resources in wetlands - animals (beaver lodge, tracks in snow-for food, clothes, tools), bulrushes (food, medicine, housing), trees (firewood, tools, clothes, medicine), + access to water etc. Does your region require archaeological assessments around wetlands?

Happy Valentines Day! Here's wishing that your day ends better than this Cupid-like child, who was recovered from a barrel privy during archaeological excavations at the location of the current Hilton Garden Inn on Queen St. in downtown Fredericton.

Concerns over the use of heavy equipment as a first stage in archaeology in Quebec City. The same issue is of concern in New Brunswick. "How can it be that this project - carried out on an archaeological site previously known within the heritage site of Old Quebec and inscribed on the list of World Heritage sites because of its fortifications - could have started with surveillance archeology of mass excavation using only heavy machinery? Wouldn't it have been wiser to adopt a... preventive approach and to carry out a controlled archaeological excavation before the start of construction by the developer? It is the fine excavation that makes possible the careful excavation of the stratigraphy as well as the identification of the archaeological contexts essential to understanding the relationship between archaeological layers, vestiges and the objects found. It is this fine understanding that is necessary for decision-making for the in situ conservation of the remains and their enhancement, if necessary." Translated from https://www.lesoleil.com//palissade-de-beaucours-et-archeo See more