Archaeological Reports

Historical background covers the First Inhabitants (8000 BC-AD 1737) including the Archaic Period (3000 BC-AD 1) and Laurel (AD 1-1000), Blackduck (AD 510-1450) and Selkirk (developed AD 1000) phases; Contact (1737-1821); Transition (1821-1870); Industrialization and Immigration (1870-1888); and Railway (1888-1988). Stratigraphy of the site is detailed by layer – four distinct time periods defined by five events: Railway Period, construction of B&B Building (1888-1889); Pre-Railway/Post-1826 Flood including HBC Experimental Farm (1836-1848); 1826 Flood; Fur Trade Period including Fort Gibraltar I (1810-1816). Features and artifacts are discussed and charcoal and seed analyses are presented.

Historical background covers the First Inhabitants (8000 BC - AD 1737); Contact (1737-1821) including Fort Gibraltar I (1810-1816); Transition (1821-1870); Industrialization and Immigration (1870-1888); and Railway (1888-1988) Periods. The stratigraphy is detailed in five distinct time periods represented by six events: Railway Period; B&B Building construction (1888-1889); Pre-Railway/Post-Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) Experimental Farm Period (1848-1888); HBC Experimental Farm Period (1836-1848); 1826 Flood; Fur Trade Period including Fort Gibraltar I (1810-1816). Artifact categories include: arms and ammunition; beads; buttons; glass; historic ceramics; lithic artifacts; fasteners; clothing, adornment, lighting, miscellaneous metal; nails; smoking pipes; seeds, bark, charcoal, leather; and faunal remains.

This report documents the procedures, findings and interpretations resulting from the 1989 public archaeology program at The Forks. Historical background covers the following periods: First Inhabitants (3000 BC - AD 1737); Contact (1737-1821); Transition (1821-1870); Industrialization and Immigration (1870-1888) and Railway (1888-1988). Stratigraphy is discussed in relation to the following periods: Railway (1888-1988); B&B Building Construction (1888/89); Pre-railway/Post-1826 Flood; 1826 Flood; and Fur Trade (1737-1821). Recovered artifacts are discussed in the following categories: glass; historic ceramics; smoking pipes; nails; fasteners; metal; arms and ammunition; miscellaneous organic and inorganic; fauna; beads; lithics; worked bone; and Native ceramics. Analysis, interpretation, and recommendations conclude the report. Appendices include a list of the volunteers and schools involved, seed analysis, and scientific nomenclature.