Posted with permission from the Hamilton Spectator
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Teri Pecoskie Thu Feb 24 2011
The Hamilton Spectator
BURLINGTON Archaeologists assessing an expansion site for the Burlington wastewater treatment plant have excavated thousands of artifacts believed to date back as far as AD 700.
While conclusions about the discoveries are still tentative, the items appear to indicate two distinct occupations - an aboriginal settlement between AD 700 and AD 1300 and a Euro-Canadian settlement that dates back to the early 19th century.
"I'm shocked," said David Ohashi, manager of wastewater design and construction for Halton Region. "It's absolutely amazing to look at all the different layers and different generations that have occupied this site in such a built-up part of Burlington."
Shaun Austin, senior archeologist for Amec, the global project management and engineering services company overseeing the excavation, said he was able to distinguish between the occupations by looking at the colour and texture of the soil where the artifacts were found. Those discovered in the dark, clay-like lower layer are likely from the aboriginal occupation, while artifacts found in the sandier, upper layer are likely from the Euro-Canadian occupation.
He said a team is screening the soil in square-metre sections at the site - an 80-metre by 30-metre plot of land covered by a massive climate controlled tent, just west of the existing Skyway Wastewater Treatment Plant property on Lakeshore Road.
Artifacts discovered so far include arrowheads, shell buttons, old coins, pottery shards, pipe bowls and sinkers, which would have been used to weigh down fishing nets. The teams have also found a concrete foundation of a house dating back about a century, deteriorated remnants of wooden poles that could have dotted the frame of a longhouse as well as soil irregularities that indicate the presence of fire hearths.
Austin said the discovery can tell archaeologists valuable information about the civilizations that used to inhabit the site. For instance, the sinkers could show that the aboriginal inhabitants didn't abandon hunting and fishing with the rise of domesticated agriculture.
"We're very excited to record and recover this data," he said. "We don't know what was here in the 19th century, which is a good reason to document everything."
Austin said the excavation could eat up as much as $1.5 million of the project's $158 million budget. Halton Region, which is funding the expansion, will continue its archeological assessment in parallel with its design phase for the project, which is slated to begin construction later this year and wrap up in 2014.
Until the archeological study is complete, the artifacts will remain in Amec's care. Once all the items are catalogued and a report is completed, the artifacts could go to local museums or the Woodland Cultural Centre.
Wayne Hill, an archeological consultant, said the discovery holds special significance for members of the Six Nations community. He also called it "an honour" to have an opportunity to handle a piece of his archeological heritage.
"It's fascinating," he said. "It means we've always played a role on this land."
tpecoskie@thespec.com
905-526-3368
__________________________________________
Teri Pecoskie Thu Feb 24 2011
The Hamilton Spectator
BURLINGTON Archaeologists assessing an expansion site for the Burlington wastewater treatment plant have excavated thousands of artifacts believed to date back as far as AD 700.
While conclusions about the discoveries are still tentative, the items appear to indicate two distinct occupations - an aboriginal settlement between AD 700 and AD 1300 and a Euro-Canadian settlement that dates back to the early 19th century.
"I'm shocked," said David Ohashi, manager of wastewater design and construction for Halton Region. "It's absolutely amazing to look at all the different layers and different generations that have occupied this site in such a built-up part of Burlington."
Shaun Austin, senior archeologist for Amec, the global project management and engineering services company overseeing the excavation, said he was able to distinguish between the occupations by looking at the colour and texture of the soil where the artifacts were found. Those discovered in the dark, clay-like lower layer are likely from the aboriginal occupation, while artifacts found in the sandier, upper layer are likely from the Euro-Canadian occupation.
He said a team is screening the soil in square-metre sections at the site - an 80-metre by 30-metre plot of land covered by a massive climate controlled tent, just west of the existing Skyway Wastewater Treatment Plant property on Lakeshore Road.
Artifacts discovered so far include arrowheads, shell buttons, old coins, pottery shards, pipe bowls and sinkers, which would have been used to weigh down fishing nets. The teams have also found a concrete foundation of a house dating back about a century, deteriorated remnants of wooden poles that could have dotted the frame of a longhouse as well as soil irregularities that indicate the presence of fire hearths.
Austin said the discovery can tell archaeologists valuable information about the civilizations that used to inhabit the site. For instance, the sinkers could show that the aboriginal inhabitants didn't abandon hunting and fishing with the rise of domesticated agriculture.
"We're very excited to record and recover this data," he said. "We don't know what was here in the 19th century, which is a good reason to document everything."
Austin said the excavation could eat up as much as $1.5 million of the project's $158 million budget. Halton Region, which is funding the expansion, will continue its archeological assessment in parallel with its design phase for the project, which is slated to begin construction later this year and wrap up in 2014.
Until the archeological study is complete, the artifacts will remain in Amec's care. Once all the items are catalogued and a report is completed, the artifacts could go to local museums or the Woodland Cultural Centre.
Wayne Hill, an archeological consultant, said the discovery holds special significance for members of the Six Nations community. He also called it "an honour" to have an opportunity to handle a piece of his archeological heritage.
"It's fascinating," he said. "It means we've always played a role on this land."
tpecoskie@thespec.com
905-526-3368
