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Archaeology is a branch of anthropology that studies past human cultures through material remains such as artifacts and features. It helps us better understand past peoples’ experiences and the importance of heritage preservation. Archaeology also provides knowledge on different ways of knowing, reaffirms truths from oral histories, and prioritizes decolonization.
An artifact is anything that has been made, modified or used by humans in the past. Examples include a stone tool, such as a spearhead, as well as the debitage (flakes) left over from making the tool, bone, stone, or glass beads, pieces of pottery or china, glass bottles, nails, and the bones from animals hunted by people. Lots of things are artifacts, but some things that are not artifacts are bones from animals that died a natural death, dinosaur bones, and fossils.
A feature is a non-portable area, structure, or object of human use or creation. Its identification depends entirely on its position within the site and must be recorded very carefully. Examples include hearths (firepits), postholes, stone rings, boiling pits, collections of stone debris from making tools, building foundations, etc. They are usually localized to a specific area within a site and provide information on the function of that site. For example, a series of hearths might indicate a large campsite whereas a series of stone cairns on a hill might be the remnant of a bison jump lane.
An archaeological site is an area of concentrated artifacts and/or features that are the remnants of past human activities. For example, a homestead from early settlers or a tipi ring from a past occupation are considered sites.
If you think that you have found an artifact or a site, leave everything as you found it. Note what you found, take pictures, and if you can, take locational coordinates using a Global Positioning Satellite Receiver (GPSr). Contact the proper authorities and follow the instructions they provide for next steps. Both agencies listed below can help you identify and understand what you found!
Saskatchewan’s Heritage Property Act provides for the preservation, interpretation, and development of archaeological heritage in Saskatchewan. It states that Saskatchewan artifacts are held in trust by the Crown, for all people of Saskatchewan. Those who have found artifacts or sites on their land are the stewards of that heritage. The Act also states that archaeological sites cannot be impacted unless permission is granted by the Regulatory Body: the Heritage Conservation Branch, Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, Government of Saskatchewan. Artifacts cannot be sold, bought, traded, or bequeathed, and an archaeological permit is required prior to the removal of any artifacts from the province. Fines and jail time are possible for individuals or companies that break these laws. For more information, the Heritage Property Act should be consulted.
I have artifacts that I have collected or have been passed down to me from a relative. Am I in trouble? Will my artifacts or collection be confiscated?
Information on Saskatchewan archaeology can be found in a variety of books and also through the provincial society and our Chapters.
Archaeologists in Saskatchewan work for several different agencies. Archaeologists who teach in universities typically hold at least a Master of Arts (MA) degree and more commonly a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. A listing of current archaeologists teaching at the University of Saskatchewan can be found on the Department of Anthropology’s website. In consulting or Cultural Resource Management (CRM), archaeologists have an MA in order to hold a permit from the Heritage Conservation Branch. Then they can lead surveys and excavations in order to complete Heritage Resource Impact Assessments (see below). They are often accompanied by field archaeologists (who hold undergraduate degrees such as a Bachelor of Arts or Science – BA or BSc). Other archaeologists work in government, museums, non-profit societies and in private industry.
Depending on the type of information you are looking for, archaeologists in Saskatchewan can be contacted through a variety of ways.
Archaeology Branch
Phone: 250-953-3334
Email: archaeology@gov.bc.ca
Address
(meeting by appointment)
2975 Jutland Street
Victoria, BC V8T 5J
Mailing Address
Archaeology Branch
PO Box 9816 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9W3
Archaeological Survey
Phone: 780-431-2300 | Toll free: 310-0000 before the number (in Alberta)
Email: darryl.bereziuk@gov.ab.ca
Email: todd.kristensen@gov.ab.ca
Fax: 780-427-3956
Address:
8820 112 Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2P8
Archaeological Resource Management
Phone: 306-787-2817
Email: arms@gov.sk.ca
Fax: 306-787-0069
Mailing Address:
2nd Floor, 3211 Albert Street,
Regina, SK S4S 5W6
Historic Resources Branch
Phone: 204-945-2118
Email: hrb@gov.mb.ca
Fax: 204-948-2384
Address:
Main Floor, 213 Notre Dame
Winnipeg MB R3B 1N3
Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism
Phone: 416-212-0036
Email: Contact form
Address:
56 Wellesley Street West, 14th floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2E7
Ministry of Culture and Communications | Ministère de la Culture et des Communications
Phone: 514-873-2137
Email: ministre@mcc.gouv.qc.ca
Fax: 514-873-0980
Address:
1435, rue de Bleury
Bureau 800
Montréal, QC H3A 2H7
Archaeology and Heritage (Branch)
Phone: 506-453-3115
Email: culture@gnb.ca
Fax: 506-444-5760
Address:
Marysville Place
20 McGloin Street, 4th Floor
Fredericton, New Brunswick E3A 5T8
Mailing Address:
Marysville Place,
20 McGloin Street, 4th Floor
P.O. Box 6000
Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1
Archaeological Investigations
Phone: 782-772-2796
Department of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture
Phone: 902-368-5956
Email: DeptFTSC@gov.pe.ca
Address:
Shaw Building
95-105 Rochford Street
Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8
North 3rd Floor
Special Places Protection | part of the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage
Phone: 902-424-6450
Email: spp@novascotia.ca
Address:
1747 Brunswick St, 3rd Floor
Halifax, NS B3H 3A6
Provincial Archaeology Office
Email: pao@gov.nl.ca
Address:
Provincial Archaeology Office
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation
2nd Floor, West Block, Confederation Building
P.O. Box 8700
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, NL A1B 4J6
Heritage Resources Offices | Department of Tourism and Culture
Phone: 867-667-8589
Yukon Archaeologist Phone: 867-667-3771
Email: heritage.resources@gov.yk.ca
Address:
133A Industrial Road
Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2V2
Archaeology | Education, Culture and Employment
Phone: 867-767-9347 ext. 71251
Email: archaeology@gov.nt.ca
Address:
Culture and Heritage
4750 48th Street
P.O. Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
Department of Culture and Heritage
Phone: 867-975-5500
Email: info@gov.nu.ca
Territorial Archaeologist
Telephone: 867-975-2046
Fax: 867-975-2047
Email: cleypermits@gov.nu.ca
Address:
P.O. Box 310
Igloolik, NU X0A 0L
A Heritage Resource Impact Assessment (HRIA) is required by the Province under Section 63 of the Heritage Property Act. It is undertaken whenever land development may adversely affect archaeological heritage. An archaeologist is hired by the party undertaking the development to assess if any archaeological heritage will be disturbed. Based on what they find, the archaeologist will make recommendations as to whether development can proceed as planned, mitigate impact on the resources through testing and/or excavations, or if the development should be modified to completely avoid the archaeological heritage. These assessments are typically required at a commercial, not a private landowner, level. For more information, please contact the Heritage Conservation Branch.
Uncovered artifacts have the potential to tell us more about Saskatchewan’s past. Archaeologists care a lot about something called context. Context includes where an artifact was found and what else it was found with. This can involve other artifacts, organic materials, and even the sediment that the artifact is found within. All these things help us to better understand what an artifact means. Archaeology involves the careful recording, especially through measurements, of any data around and within an artifact. Without this data, we lose context and information!
First of all, you will make a lot of archaeologists very sad. The artifacts have now lost their context and we have lost valuable information about past societies. Secondly, you may be charged with disturbing or destroying an archaeological site under the Heritage Property Act. Depending on whether you are a company or an individual, fines can vary from $5000 up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment. Finally it is important to respect the belongings left behind by past cultures so that people today can learn more about them. Archaeology is important not only to archaeologists but to the descendants of those peoples who lived in Saskatchewan in the past. It is important to respect all archaeological materials found here and the cultures that they represent.
Yes! Despite not having a lot of context like buried artifacts do, surface artifacts still have a story to tell. The presence of artifacts means there was human activity in the past. Some artifacts are what archaeologists call diagnostic. They are identifiable to a specific area and age, so when recovered, even from the surface, this type of information is inferred. Non-diagnostic artifacts can sometimes still give a general age range or indicate what type of activity took place.
Archaeological belongings are classified through identification and cataloguing. First, a belonging is examined by trained archaeologists to determine if it is archaeological or not. Sometimes this can be difficult, so we might call on our geology and palaeontology friends to help us out.
Once identified as an artifact, we analyze it to figure out how it was made, what it was made from, how and when it was used, where it was found, etc. A catalogue is recorded for the artifact and is kept on file.
If we know where the artifact came from, a Saskatchewan Archaeological Resource Record (SARR) form is completed. The SARR form and the catalogue, along with pictures of the artifact, are submitted to the Heritage Conservation Branch and that information is entered into a provincial inventory database. This database is important for people who want to do archaeological research or want to undertake new land developments.
If the finder of the artifact likes, they can leave the artifact with repositories such as the Heritage Conservation Branch, the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society, or where many of the artifacts from the province go – the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. Local community museums might also be interested in the artifact. At any of these locations, the artifact will be kept safe and made available to any researchers.
If you have artifacts, you should think about where they will go if something ever happens to you. Developing a plan is crucial in ensuring the artifacts are not lost. Some people leave artifacts where they found them. If you find an artifact in a provincial or national park, the item should be left with park staff.
Artifacts may be repatriated or given back to Indigenous groups. Staff at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum facilitate this process. To learn more about the repatriation process, please contact the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.
The important thing to remember is that artifacts should be kept in a safe place and that it is important that the Heritage Conservation Branch knows about them! Every artifact holds a wealth of information about the people who made and used it, and it is for the People of Saskatchewan to know and learn more about them!
People are discouraged from going out and looking for artifacts or sites without proper training and acquiring the necessary permits. Remember, collecting artifacts without a permit is illegal.
The good news though is that the Government of Saskatchewan has an Avocational Archaeologist program for non-professionals! Like professional archaeologists, avocational archaeologists are required to secure a permit, complete required Saskatchewan Archaeological Resource Record (SARR) forms, and submit a report but the level of reporting is not as detailed as is required for professional archaeologists. More information including a Guide to Completing the Avocational Site Form and an Archaeology Field Manual can be found on the Heritage Conservation Branch website.
If you have an interest in archaeology, consider taking archaeology classes through the University of Saskatchewan or joining local Chapters of the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society, or the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society itself!
There are many ways to be involved in archaeology in Saskatchewan without potentially breaking laws or impacting archaeological sites. See some of the services, including public and school excavations, which the SAS offers here.
Saskatchewan has over 25,000 recorded archaeological sites and the number grows every day! How can we choose only a few? With over 10,000 years of archaeological history, there is something for everyone’s interests! Perhaps the best place to learn about at least 6000 years of history is at Wanuskewin Heritage Park near Saskatoon. Other options include visiting your local museum which might have a local archaeology display or check out the First Nations Gallery at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina.
Other sites of interest include:
To get a better sense of archaeology in Saskatchewan, check out the Map of Saskatchewan Archaeology.
