The Ontario Archaeological Society's Huronia Chapter in cooperation with Simcoe County Forests and with the support of the OAS is hosting a limited dig at a Huron Wendat village site within a county forest located between Midland and Penetang. It is not known at this time if this village was inhabited during the
time of contact with the French (1615-49) or was active earlier (possibly as early as the 1400s). Perhaps the
digging on the 11th and 12th will help determine that.
The dig will be conducted under the licence of Dr. Alicia Hawkins of Laurentian University.
Anyone interested in participating in this event should contact the Huronia Chapter, email jraynor@rogers.com.
The number of participants will be limited by the number of qualified volunteers and resources available.
Please let us know ASAP if you wish to attend.
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Now that we are talking "public archaeology" here are a couple of things that the "public" need to know:
Penalties for disturbing an archaeological site without a licence. -
The Ontario Heritage Act prohibits anyone from disturbing or altering an archaeological site — whether on land or under water — unless they hold a valid archaeological licence issued by the ministry. You may be disturbing an archaeological site, if you pick up arrowheads in a farmer's field, grade an archaeological site with a bulldozer, or take objects from a shipwreck.
Anyone who disturbs or alters an archaeological site or removes an artifact from a site without a licence can be fined or imprisoned. A person or a director of a corporation found in violation of the act or its regulations can face a fine of up to $1,000,000 or imprisonment for up to one year or both. A corporation found in violation of the act or the regulations can face a fine of up to $250,000.
What to do if you find human bones
The Cemeteries Act and the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, when proclaimed in force, require anyone who uncovers a burial site containing human remains to report the discovery to the appropriate authorities — the police or a coroner. Likewise, archaeologists who encounter human remains during archaeological fieldwork are required to comply with all relevant provisions of the Cemeteries Act and Ontario Regulation 133/92 (Burial Sites) as part of the terms and conditions of their archaeological licence.
If human remains are discovered during land development activities, all construction and soil disturbance must stop immediately to allow the authorities to investigate. All archaeological fieldwork must stop until the coroner has had the opportunity to investigate and the Registrar of Cemeteries has been consulted.
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