Publications

The recovery for display of a 1,600-year-old roasting pit feature from Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

Description

Dozens of pre-contact pit features have been recorded during excavations of the processing area at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, in Alberta, Canada. In 1990 a largely intact 1,600-year-old roasting pit feature was located and left in situ as it was considered a good candidate for future display, should an opportunity present itself. In 2016 that opportunity was realized with the planned development of the new Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton. The feature was relocated, excavated, and enclosed in a plaster jacket using a technique commonly used by paleontologists for fossil recovery. After removal and transport, the final excavation of the feature was accomplished in the museum, allowing optimal excavation conditions that produced some unusual results. This methodology allows the preservation and long-term interpretation of archaeological material, providing an alternative to dismantling these features under standard archaeological research conditions.

Updated

November 22, 2023

Tags
Archaeological Survey of Alberta Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump archaeology canid earth oven museum studies plaster jacket roasting pit feature

Publisher / Creator Information

Publisher

Arts, Culture and Status of Women

Contributor

Dawea, Robert J.

Contributor

Lia, Carmen

Contributor

Tankeb, Darren H.

Place of Publication

Edmonton

Resource Dates

Date Created

2023-11-22

Date Added

2023-11-22T16:47:27.494662

Date Modified

2023-11-22

Date Issued

2023-11-22

Audience information

Identifiers

ISBN (pdf)

9781460158944

ISSN (online)

2562-7848

Usage / Licence

Licence

No licence

Contact

Contact Name

Archaeological Survey of Alberta