Although Historic Period archaeological sites are an important part of Canada’s heritage, when most people think about archaeology, they are thinking about what archaeologists commonly call Precontact archaeological sites. On the prairies, common types of sites that you may be familiar with are:
- Tipi rings (circles of cobbles that once held down the hide lodge covers of a tipi)
- Buffalo jumps such as Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
- Medicine Wheels such as Majorville
- Historic Period sites such as the Bar-U Ranch, Fort Calgary, or Lower Fort Garry
However, these represent only a fraction of archaeological sites. Archaeological sites related to Aboriginal peoples who seasonally and occasionally occupied Canada over the past 12-15,000 years occur almost everywhere. Alberta has over 40,000 recorded archaeological sites, ranging from places where just a few artifacts are found, to much larger sites like Head-Smashed-In. As a class, this type of archaeological site represents the most common type of historical resource, not surprising given the length of the Precontact Periods. These sites include surface and buried sites, both of which occur in rather shallow contexts in most of Canada. Sites that are deeply buried, say more than a meter deep, are relatively uncommon. That being said, do not be startled when we recommend the use of a backhoe in certain areas to test the deep deposits to see if archaeological remains are present.