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Reconstructing the Highwood River’s Holocene palaeoecology : assessment of organic-rich alluvial samples collected following the 2013 flood event

Description

Periodic flood events are normal for rivers. These events sometimes deposit sediments that trap biological remains that can be used to reconstruct the local environment. Following the 2013... More ≫

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Periodic flood events are normal for rivers. These events sometimes deposit sediments that trap biological remains that can be used to reconstruct the local environment. Following the 2013 flooding of the Highwood River, southwestern Alberta, 24 organic-rich palaeoenvironmental samples were collected from the river’s banks at 14 localities. Data synthesis generated a detectable signal of climatic change throughout the Holocene. The general trend shows a progression from drier conditions in the early Holocene towards relatively moist conditions today. This study is the first detailed examination of near-river palaeoenvironmental conditions in southern Alberta.

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A collaborative undertaking to excavate and reinter a historic burial (FgOw-2) near Viking, central Alberta

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In late summer of 2015, human remains were exposed by a badger dig in a field near Viking, Alberta. Staff of the Historic Resources Management Branch of Alberta Culture and Tourism. HRMB staff... More ≫

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In late summer of 2015, human remains were exposed by a badger dig in a field near Viking, Alberta. Staff of the Historic Resources Management Branch of Alberta Culture and Tourism. HRMB staff worked collaboratively with representatives from the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations and others to determine the most appropriate approach for dealing with this burial, and it was decided that the remainder of the burial should be removed and reburied in a new protected location. Based on a brief analysis of the bones and associated artifacts, it was determined that the individual was likely a 13 to 14 year old Aboriginal female who died as early as the 1830s.

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The Smuland Creek site and implications for Palaeoindian site prospection in the Peace Region of northwestern Alberta

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Cultural resource management survey of a proposed pipeline corridor stretching across uplands to the southeast of Grande Prairie resulted in the discovery of the Smuland Creek site. Preliminary... More ≫

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Cultural resource management survey of a proposed pipeline corridor stretching across uplands to the southeast of Grande Prairie resulted in the discovery of the Smuland Creek site. Preliminary subsurface testing yielded the proximal portion of a basally thinned (fluted) projectile point and a graver artifact, both diagnostic of earliest prehistoric times in the Peace Region of Alberta and British Columbia. Further survey yielded additional evidence for prehistoric occupation. The new discoveries present preliminary evidence for early human presence in the region that may be associated with older, upland glacial lake features. The merits of this hypothesis are examined and the implications for Palaeoindian site prospection in the Peace Region are discussed.

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Back on the horse : recent developments in archaeological and palaeontological research in Alberta

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This is the 36th volume of the Archaeological Survey of Alberta Occasional Paper series. The Archaeological Survey of Alberta Occasional Paper series was established in 1976 as a means of... More ≫

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This is the 36th volume of the Archaeological Survey of Alberta Occasional Paper series. The Archaeological Survey of Alberta Occasional Paper series was established in 1976 as a means of disseminating information to archaeological specialists in Alberta. The series was discontinued from 1994 to 2015, but was re-established in 2016 as an online resource. This first volume is a series of manuscripts authored, in whole or part, by past and present staff of the Archaeological Survey of Alberta and Royal Alberta Museum.

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Pre-contact jade in Alberta : the geochemistry, mineralogy, and archaeological significance of nephrite ground stone tools

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This article is the second in the Alberta Lithic Reference Project series, the goal of which is to assist the identification of raw materials used for pre-contact stone tools in the province. Each... More ≫

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This article is the second in the Alberta Lithic Reference Project series, the goal of which is to assist the identification of raw materials used for pre-contact stone tools in the province. Each article focuses on one raw material; the current article discusses a microcrystalline, actinolite-tremolite (amphibole)-rich rock called nephrite (jade) that originates in British Columbia, Washington, Yukon, and Alaska. Nephrite appears in archaeological sites in northern and central Alberta. This articles presents results from a variety of non-destructive techniques to determine the geochemistry and mineralogy of nephrite ground stone celts found in Alberta. The accurate identification of nephrite can reveal significant cultural relationships that involved long distance exchange of raw materials between occupants of Alberta and British Columbia.

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Development and early results of the spatial data standards for archaeological survey and excavation in Alberta

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This paper outlines the history of the use of spatial data at the Archaeological Survey of Alberta. Prior to 2005, spatial information was recorded on paper from numerous sources, which made the... More ≫

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This paper outlines the history of the use of spatial data at the Archaeological Survey of Alberta. Prior to 2005, spatial information was recorded on paper from numerous sources, which made the review of archaeological assessments and development impacts arduous and imprecise. In 2014 the Archaeological Survey of released the Spatial Data Standards for Survey and Excavation, which provided requirements and standards for submission of spatial data from consulting archaeologists and other researchers working in Alberta. As a result, a rich and detailed database of archaeological spatial data is available to researchers and government employees.

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Calcined bone radiocarbon dates from the mineable oil sands region, northeastern Alberta

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The majority of radiocarbon dates from archaeological sites in the mineable oil sands region of northeastern Alberta have been obtained from calcined (i.e., cremated) bone samples. Bone dates from... More ≫

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The majority of radiocarbon dates from archaeological sites in the mineable oil sands region of northeastern Alberta have been obtained from calcined (i.e., cremated) bone samples. Bone dates from 25 archaeological sites in the mineable oil sands region of northeastern Alberta are compiled and calibrated to calendar ages. Results show that calcined bone ages are an important source of chronological information in northern Alberta, and best practices for the collection of samples in the boreal forest are presented.

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A summary of Alberta archaeology sites, 1992-2015

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A total of 16,775 archaeological sites were recorded in Alberta between 1992 and 2015, making up 40 per cent of known sites in the province. Another 8,594 sites were revisited during the same time... More ≫

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A total of 16,775 archaeological sites were recorded in Alberta between 1992 and 2015, making up 40 per cent of known sites in the province. Another 8,594 sites were revisited during the same time period. New discoveries, either through initial recording or excavation from 1992 to 2015, have contributed significantly to the archaeological record of Alberta. Some of the most notable sites recorded or excavated between 1992 and 2015 are summarized in this article.

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Looking forward : flood recovery and the next issue of the Occasional Paper series

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The 2013 southern Alberta floods and the 2016 Fort McMurray fire serve as strong reminders of how quickly natural disaster can shape our understanding of both the present and the past. The... More ≫

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The 2013 southern Alberta floods and the 2016 Fort McMurray fire serve as strong reminders of how quickly natural disaster can shape our understanding of both the present and the past. The Archaeological Survey of Alberta is planning an edited thematic volume of the Occasional Papers Series that focuses on the role of natural disasters in understanding Alberta’s historic resources.

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Late Quaternary studies in Beringia and beyond, 1950-1993 : an annotated bibliography

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This annotated bibliography is designed as a research tool for Quaternarists interested in Beringia and adjacent areas. Beringia comprises the northern hemisphere region centred on Siberia and... More ≫

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This annotated bibliography is designed as a research tool for Quaternarists interested in Beringia and adjacent areas. Beringia comprises the northern hemisphere region centred on Siberia and Alaska-Yukon and bounded by the Lena River to the west and the Mackenzie River to the east. Other areas covered in this volume include western Siberia, northeasten China, northern Korea, and Japan. The bibliography includes references to research papers, books, monographs, short notes, theses, conference abstracts, conference reports, popular articles, and commentaries published between 1950 and 1993. The citations deal with surficial geology, glacial history, climate history, palaeontology, archaeology, and palaeoenvironments in Beringia between about 50,000 and 10,000 years before the present.

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