Publications

The 2021 excavations at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, UNESCO World Heritage Site : taking Jack Brink’s excavations to a new level

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Throughout the 1980s, Jack Brink conducted excavations on behalf of the Archaeological Survey of Alberta at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and developed an extensive understanding of how bison that... More ≫

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Throughout the 1980s, Jack Brink conducted excavations on behalf of the Archaeological Survey of Alberta at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and developed an extensive understanding of how bison that were hunted at the jump were transformed into food and supplies. A joint team from the University of Lethbridge and the Royal Alberta Museum returned to the site in 2021 with the express goal of digging beneath where Jack had stopped and unearthing the earliest stages of use. While the materials we discovered were minimal, the results were stunning, revealing that activities have been occurring at the site for more than 8500 years. The results of the 2021 excavations are presented as a tribute to Jack’s contributions to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.

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An unusual Avonlea pit at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

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At the instigation of Jack Brink, a large pit feature situated in the processing area of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (DkPj-1) was excavated in 1992. Apparently made by enlarging an animal burrow,... More ≫

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At the instigation of Jack Brink, a large pit feature situated in the processing area of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (DkPj-1) was excavated in 1992. Apparently made by enlarging an animal burrow, the irregularly shaped feature contained ochre-painted bison bones, bison mandible digging implements, large portions of a pottery vessel, projectile points, 17 sets of articulated bison bones, portions of 15 bison skulls, and almost 1000 identifiable faunal specimens, the vast majority being bison. Artifacts and radiocarbon dates between 1300 and 1050 cal BP indicate the feature is associated with Avonlea. In the absence of a functional interpretation relating to the processing of bison, a ceremonial/ritual purpose appears to be the best explanation for this unusual pit feature.

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Stories from Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump : an interview with Boyd Wettlaufer

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Boyd Wettlaufer carried out the first systematic excavations at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump in 1949. Stories from Wettlaufer himself describe his work at the site and his relations with local... More ≫

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Boyd Wettlaufer carried out the first systematic excavations at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump in 1949. Stories from Wettlaufer himself describe his work at the site and his relations with local communities. The artifacts recovered by Wettlaufer are examined and compared to results from subsequent excavations. The presence of the Paleoindian artifacts, as well as certain landscape features, suggests the site was used as a bison kill as long ago as 9000 BP. Several artifacts made of exotic raw materials show that the people at Head-Smashed-In were involved in the trade and movement of raw materials not native to Alberta.

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Microbotanical remains, residues, and usewear : other views of Head- Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

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Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is one of the best-known archaeological sites in Canada and a UNESCO World Heritage site. This paper examines examples of phytoliths, charcoal, lithic tool residues,... More ≫

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Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is one of the best-known archaeological sites in Canada and a UNESCO World Heritage site. This paper examines examples of phytoliths, charcoal, lithic tool residues, and usewear to cast new cultural and palaeoenvironmental light on the site. Phytoliths and charcoal corroborate that the past environment was a foothills fescue mixed grassland, as it is today. Tools unexpected at a bison kill, such as hide scrapers and drills, document probable use of the site as an occasional campsite outside the times when it was used for bison hunting. In particular, the residues and usewear demonstrate processing of plants

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Radiocarbon dates in Alberta’s northern forests and potential for inferring changes in ancient Indigenous populations

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Assemblages of radiocarbon dates have been used for inferring population changes, fine-tuning the chronology of specific events, and used in association with diagnostic stone tools to establish... More ≫

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Assemblages of radiocarbon dates have been used for inferring population changes, fine-tuning the chronology of specific events, and used in association with diagnostic stone tools to establish chronological markers. However, boreal forest ecosystems of northern Alberta have presented many challenges to using dates for these purposes, including academic neglect, acidic soils that decompose datable material, and the over-extension of typologies from neighboring regions. This study outlines recommendations for successful dating methods in the boreal forest, synthesizes Alberta’s boreal radiocarbon record, and infers changes in Indigenous populations throughout the Pre-contact Period. A total of 220 dated occupations from 135 pre-contact sites in Alberta’s Boreal Forest suggest that populations were very sporadic from about 10,000 cal BP until approximately 6,500 cal BP, then began to rise dramatically around 3,000 cal BP. Populations remained stable from approximately 1,500 cal BP...

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Fifty years of fur trade archaeology in northern Alberta forests : what have we accomplished?

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This study examines the status of fifty years of archaeological research of the Historic Period (c. 1787-1920) in northern Alberta, Canada. More specifically, it reviews research conducted for... More ≫

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This study examines the status of fifty years of archaeological research of the Historic Period (c. 1787-1920) in northern Alberta, Canada. More specifically, it reviews research conducted for both fur trade archaeology and historic Indigenous archaeology by provincial and federal sectors. The study focuses on one of the most fundamental components of archaeological inquiry: the Alberta archaeological site inventory. Using the historic documentary record, the paper determines the potential fur trade and historic Indigenous sites present in northern Alberta and examines archaeological records compiled in northern Alberta to assess their suitability to investigate historic peoples of that region.

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Archaeology in western Canada’s boreal forest, 2021

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This volume is dedicated to archaeology in western Canada’s boreal forest and includes papers that contribute to understandings of pre-contact and historic adaptations. The papers also shed light... More ≫

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This volume is dedicated to archaeology in western Canada’s boreal forest and includes papers that contribute to understandings of pre-contact and historic adaptations. The papers also shed light on how past people and archaeological studies in this region can inform work across the country. Paper topics include cultural resources management archaeology, ground stone artifacts, Early Pre-Contact Period sites, GIS and remote sensing, archaeological methods of site detection, fur trade archaeology, and radiocarbon dating in the boreal forest.

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Listing of historic resources : instructions for use

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The listing of historic resources is a tool that may assist developers, industry representatives and municipalities in determining if a proposed development might affect historic resources. The... More ≫

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The listing of historic resources is a tool that may assist developers, industry representatives and municipalities in determining if a proposed development might affect historic resources. The listing identifies lands that contain or have a high potential to contain historic resources, including archaeological sites, palaeontological sites, Aboriginal traditional use sites of a historic resource nature, or historic sites and structures. This guide provides information on how to interpret and use the data in the listing.

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Archaeological survey information bulletin

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Each issue of the Archaeological Survey Information Bulletin presents information about the standards for conducting archaeological investigations in the province.

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