The Huronia chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society is pleased to host the annual symposium from Oct. 16 to 18, 2015 in Midland, Ontario. The theme of the upcoming conference is “Huronia - Before and After Champlain.”
We welcome papers on all aspects of the Ontario’s archaeological past. On the 400th anniversary of Champlain’s arrival in Huronia, we particularly want to highlight the Wendat past in the region, and interactions with the first French explorers and missionaries.
At this time we are calling for proposals for sessions, individual presentations, and posters. Sessions may be half or full day sessions (about nine papers or sixteen papers respectively). Presentations are twenty minutes in length.
Session proposals: please send proposal descriptions of about 300 words to Alicia Hawkins (ahawkins@laurentian.ca) by April 1, 2015. A list of potential presenters should accompany the session proposal.
Abstracts for individual presentations and posters should be about 300 words and these should also be emailed to Alicia Hawkins (ahawkins@laurentian.ca). The deadline for abstracts is June 30, 2015.
We encourage the practice of ethical archaeology in the discovery of the history of Huronia (northern Simcoe County) through archaeological research and discussion of the historic record and oral tradition. Please feel free to comment and or join and post on the blog. Blog contents do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Ontario Archaeological Society or the Huronia chapter.
Friday, December 05, 2014
Monday, December 01, 2014
Members Meeting - Wednesday December 10th 2014
Members Meeting - Wednesday
December 10th 2014
Huronia Museum,
Midland - 7 PM
AGM
Subject - year end updates and
reports - election of executive officers.
This
meeting is set aside for our Annual General Meeting and election of officers
who will guide us through the upcoming year including monthly meeting
presentations and the planning and implementation of the OAS symposium next
October.
Should
you wish to put your name forward to stand for one of the executive positions
or nominate another member to do so please do so by email or bring your nomination
to the AGM. We will also be looking for volunteers to take on other key portfolios
our act on committees to assist in moving our plans forward.
It
is also the time to renew your membership for 2015.
The
AGM will run 7-8PM followed by a meeting of the executive and others directly
involved with the planning of the symposium.
Meetings
are open to the public at no charge.
http://www.oashuroniachapter.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HuroniaChapterOfTheOntarioArchaeologySociety
Thursday, November 06, 2014
"Champlain's Guide to Huronia."
Members Meeting - Wednesday
November 12th 2014
Huronia Museum,
Midland - 7 PM
Presenter - John Raynor
Subject - "Champlain's
Guide to Huronia."
This will e a presentation on a booklet
that I started to prepare in 2007 that I hoped might be useful as part of the
upcoming Champlain 400th anniversary.
I have done further research since then
and have reformulated some of my suppositions. This presentation will act as a
first level of peer review.
If you think that you know which villages
Champlain visited while in Huronia and care to speculate on their names and or
locations, please feel free to share.
Meetings
are open to the public at no charge.
https://www.facebook.com/HuroniaChapterOfTheOntarioArchaeologySociety
Sunday, October 05, 2014
For Passion or Profit
Members Meeting - Wednesday
October 8th 2014
Huronia Museum,
Midland - 7 PM
Presenter - John Raynor
Subject - For Passion or Profit - a
paper presented at the Canadian Archaeological Association in May 2014
Abstract
This paper will examine the role of the avocational
archaeologist over time in Ontario with a particular focus on the archaeology
of Huronia.
In a landscape where most of the archaeology in Ontario
today is carried out by CRM companies under contract to the private sector and
by a few universities that can still squeeze out the funds to do research and
fieldwork, what is the role and motivation of the avocationalist?
In this paper we will examine the history of archaeology
in Huronia and the rich record left behind by pioneers in a field well before
there were any monetary rewards or many accolades to be had. Who were they,
what did they do and perhaps more importantly, why did they do it?
Meetings
are open to the public at no charge.
https://www.facebook.com/HuroniaChapterOfTheOntarioArchaeologySociety
Friday, September 12, 2014
Midhurst Mega-development and Our Community
The particulars:
September 28th, focusing on aboriginal culture and settlements in the area. We will be meeting at the Anne St. N., and Carson Road intersection at 3 pm.
October 5th, focusing on the importance of preserving prime farmland. We will be meeting at
Midhurst Community Hall at 3 pm for a bus to tour highlighting how development may adversely impact prime farmland.
What?! !
Walks to learn about possible impacts the planned mega-development may have on important features of our community have been organized for three early autumn afternoons.
October 19, on the environmental and ecological implications development has for the area, including the Minesing Wetlands. We will be meeting at Meadow Mouse Trail at 3 pm.(West side of George Johnson Rd. just north of Snow Valley Rd.) Bring along boots or rugged shoes.
You can RSVP and find up to date information at: canow.ca, or by sending an email to climateactionbarrie@gmail.com.! !
We look forward to seeing you!
Who?! !
We've lined up some excellent guides to speak on the importance of the Minesing Wetlands and its ecological interconnections, on the vibrant tradition and culture of aboriginal peoples in the area, and on the value of preserving prime farmland and agricultural potential.
Midhurst Mega-development and Our Community
Sunday, September 07, 2014
Members Meeting - Wednesday
September 10th 2014
Huronia Museum,
Midland - 7 PM
At this month's Huronia chapter meeting we will be focusing on the OAS
symposium that we will be hosting in October 2015. We hope to have our theme,
title and some bare bone outline of our plan ready for this year's symposium to
be hosted in Peterborough October 24th - 26th.
Meetings
are open to the public at no charge.
http://www.oashuroniachapter.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HuroniaChapterOfTheOntarioArchaeologySociety
Tuesday, August 05, 2014
Members Meeting - Wednesday August 13th 2014
Members Meeting - Wednesday
August 13th 2014
Huronia Museum,
Midland - 7 PM
I have been advised that the Huronia museum has sustained
some flood damage due to last nights heavy rain and continuing roof issues and
will not be able to host tonight's meeting. For those planning to attend, we
will host the meeting at my home (83 Balm Beach Rd. East, Perkinsfield, On.-
705 526 4927) just west of Midland towards Balm Beach. Same time and topic -
new location.
Hopefully we will see some of you here.
Sorry for the late notice.
John
At this month's meeting we will be
discussing the value of Private Collections.
Since
the wrap up of the field school at the end of June we have come across 3 private
collections of artifacts found in Huronia. Discussions with these collectors
have given us leads to non registered sites that have not been investigated by
the archaeological community.
I
will be proposing that the chapter consider the development of a strategic plan
to seek out these collectors with the objective of learning from what they know
and have collected or received from their ancestors.
The
following email was sent to the ministry in this regard and hopefully we will
have some sort of response in time for our meeting.
"I am considering proposing to the
Huronia chapter of the OAS that we consider taking on a project to find and
document private collections of archaeological material in Huronia (northern
Simcoe Co.). Some collectors may be reluctant to share their collection info
with us due to a fear of prosecution. Given this apprehension, how are we
best to proceed and what assurances can we give to these collectors that their
cooperation will not result in their prosecution under the Heritage act or
other Provincial legislation?
Looking forward to your guidance;"
John Raynor
President, Huronia chapter of the OAS.
Meetings
are open to the public at no charge.
A brief business meeting will be held after the presentation for
Huronia chapter members.
http://www.oashuroniachapter.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HuroniaChapterOfTheOntarioArchaeologySociety
Monday, July 14, 2014
Water Screening
Dr. Bonnie Glencross and Dr. Gary Warrick will be in Huronia
on Wednesday and Thursday of this week to complete the water screening process
of the dry screened material from squares dug during the field school at the
Allen tract. If you are interested in volunteering your services to assist in
this process please let me know via email - jraynor@rogers.com or leave a
comment on this post.
Thursday, July 03, 2014
Members Meeting - Wednesday July 9th 2014
Huronia Museum,
Midland - 7 PM
At this month's meeting we are pleased to welcome Tom Mohr & Sheryl Smith from the Peterborough chapter who will be speaking on ‘The Search for Gandatsetiagon:
The Search for Gandatsetiagon: Chasing ‘Gandy’.
Tom Mohr, currently President of the Peterborough Chapter, OAS, challenged the City of Pickering’s creation story of ‘two Jesuits from Frenchman’s Bay’ by digging back through centuries of historical material before arriving at the realm of archaeology. Sheryl Smith, OAS Board member and late of Parks Canada, worked forward from the archaeological record and helped to define this singular aspect of our collective history. Together, they will shed light on the story of a 17th century Seneca village on the north shore of Lake Ontario, its interaction with our earliest French explorers, and how it is recalled today.
Meetings
are open to the public at no charge.
A brief business meeting will be held after the presentation for
Huronia chapter members.
http://www.oashuroniachapter.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HuroniaChapterOfTheOntarioArchaeologySociety
Sunday, June 01, 2014
Members Meeting - Wednesday June 11th 2014
Members Meeting - Wednesday
June 11th 2014
Huronia Museum,
Midland - 7 PM
At this month's meeting we are pleased to welcome Chris Dalton.
Chris will be discussing his role as Director of Chapter Services for
the OAS and sharing with us his experiences as an avocational archaeologist in
Ontario.
Christopher Dalton - is a carpenter by trade and archaeologist by hobby, whose interest in
archaeology has been life-long. He has an avocational archaeology license for
Ontario and is a life member of the London Chapter. Chris has worked
extensively with John MacDonald mapping sites in the Blair area and more
recently with Dr. Chris Ellis excavating the Davidson Site in Parkhill,
Ontario. He is currently Director of Chapter Services for the OAS.
Students and staff from the field school currently operating in Huronia will be joining us for this meeting..
Meetings
are open to the public at no charge.
A brief business meeting will be held after the presentation for
Huronia chapter members.
http://www.oashuroniachapter.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HuroniaChapterOfTheOntarioArchaeologySociety
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Field season is underway in Huronia
Just a reminder -
What is the penalty for digging without a license?
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 is the penalty for digging without a license?
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.
Thursday, May 08, 2014
What should we do?
One of our members went for an exploratory walk on a property where the roads were cut in last fall. After requesting a copy of the archaeological assessment from the municipality we were advised that there wasn't one as the plan was approved in the 80's before assessments were required? The land is in a historic area (Possibly related to Champlain's visit to Huronia) with both registered and non registered sites around it, it is sandy loam soil, it has a source of fresh water nearby, it is on a ridge with a defensible position overlooking a bay and it has plenty of room for a village.
So what's next? Do this become an advocacy project for the chapter? Does this require political action? Does this warrant community activism? Or do we just passively walk away and let another development possibly destroy another site without even attempting an assessment.
You thoughts would be appreciated.
So what's next? Do this become an advocacy project for the chapter? Does this require political action? Does this warrant community activism? Or do we just passively walk away and let another development possibly destroy another site without even attempting an assessment.
You thoughts would be appreciated.
Artifacts are from a private collection.
These artifacts are from a private collection believed by some to be from the Wendat village of Toanche that Champlain visited in August of 1615. If you our your family members have artifacts like these, we would like to know. Please contact the Huronia chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society via the Huronia museum so that we can arrange to photograph them and add them to our knowledge of the area. -https://www.facebook.com/HuroniaChapterOfTheOntarioArchaeologySociety
Sunday, May 04, 2014
Members Meeting - Wednesday March 14th 2014
Members Meeting - Wednesday
May 14th 2014
Huronia Museum,
Midland - 7 PM
The
talk on May 14th will be by Brian Charles a member of the Georgiana Island Lake
Simcoe Ojibway. Brian will speak on the
importance of wampum and wampum belts among the Ojibway over the past 400
years.
Meetings
are open to the public at no charge.
A brief business meeting will be held after the presentation for
Huronia chapter members.
http://www.oashuroniachapter.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HuroniaChapterOfTheOntarioArchaeologySociety
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Dr. Marti Latta gives talk about 1976 archaeological dig in Beeton
April 24, 2014 · 0 Comments
The Tec We Gwill Historical Society held their annual general meeting and were treated to a special presentation by Professor/archaeologist Marti Latta from the University of Toronto.
To a nearly full room at the Tec We Gwill Women’s Institute, Dr. Latta spoke about an archaeological dig in Beeton in 1976. During the dig, Dr. Latta and her team found remnants of a permanent village of about 300 – 500 people, including about 10 to 12 permanent houses made of wood that was situated just south of Beeton on the 10th side road between the 6th and 7th concessions.
“Unfortunately they came and went before there were any Europeans here to write about them, so we had to figure them out for ourselves,” Dr. Latta told the room. “These people were farmers. They raised a number of crops and you’ll see that they raised corn, beans, pumpkins and squash and probably tobacco.”
The village was thought to be an independent city state that was situated and protected at the top of a hill and looked to be a rather rich village that traded the sought after flint stone that they brought up themselves in canoes from Hamilton or Grimsby.
“They were middlemen with a lovely location to control a very important and profitable trade.”
The dig uncovered plenty of tools, pottery, woodworking tools, axes, hoes, hunting tools, needles carved of bone, games and lots of smoking pipes. Dr. Latta said the location itself was ideal for a village, situated at the top of a hill, with a permanent spring (that still runs to this day) and connected to rivers leading to all of the major water sources in the area.
The site itself was found just about 20 centimetres below the top soil of a corn field and also turned up some things that stumped the team.
“One of the things that we did find that we found very interesting, was some little bits and pieces of brass,” Dr. Latta said. “They were tested with neutron activation and are definitely sixteenth century brass. That gives us the next question of what was the date for the site.”
The brass would have been there much longer before the first arrival of Europeans in the area, which suggested it was traded “hand to hand” all the way from the east coast.
“They might have been getting some of this European brass from much farther east and then passing it along and it would have been incredibly rare,” she said. “We tend to think copper isn’t very important, but these were people for whom copper was more excited than we would feel about gold today.”
Dr. Latta explained that everything seemed great for the village and then eventually it was abandoned after what looks like an attack from neighbours that burned most of the site.
As for the remaining artifacts of the site, Dr. Latta delivered some sad news that much of what was uncovered was lost in an accidental “spring cleaning” at the University of Toronto. “It’s appalling and part of the reason I am here is to convey apologies,” she said. “It was just one of those horrible human mistakes that people make.”
There hasn’t been any excavation at the site since 1976, but much of the site is still protected by the Town of Beeton and Dr. Latta hopes it is explored again someday. “It’s a lovely site and really deserves some more attention.”
By Jeff Doner
Monday, April 21, 2014
Petun to Wyandot
The Ontario Archaeological Society (OAS) and Archaeological
Services Inc. (ASI) are jointly hosting an event to honour former OAS President
Charles Garrad and his newest book, entitled Petun to Wyandot: The Ontario
Petun from the Sixteenth Century (edited by Jean-Luc Pilon and William
Fox), which is due to be published this month in the Mercury Series by the
University of Ottawa Press and the Canadian Museum of History (see also flyer,
attached).
Please join us on Tuesday, May 27th from 6 - 8 pm at Massey
College at the University of Toronto. A cash bar and appetizers await you
there. There will also be an opportunity to purchase the book and we will
provide pricing details in future correspondence with confirmed attendees.
The event is free to attend, but we encourage you to RSVP
as soon as possible, as space is limited. Please let us know by May 24th
if you can attend by sending an RSVP email to rsvp.oas@gmail.com, providing your full
name and the names of anyone else accompanying you. (Please do not
reply to this message.)
More information on the book can be found here: http://www.press.uottawa.ca/petun-to-wyandot.
We look forward to seeing you as we help Charlie launch his magnum
opus!
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Things you may need to know.
FAQs
Who owns the
artifacts?
The answer to this question is ambiguous at best. The answer
differs somewhat depending on the landowner: the rules for federally owned
lands, such as national parks, and First Nations reserves are different from
those applying other lands in Ontario. The Ontario government does not assert
ownership of artifacts, but it does set out the laws governing the practice of
archaeology in the province. These state that:
1.
Only a licensed archaeologist may
collect or excavate artifacts in the province of Ontario.
2.
Under the terms of the licence, the
government charges the archaeologist with holding the artifacts in trust for
the people of Ontario.
3.
The archaeologist may place the
artifacts in a public institution, such as a museum, for safekeeping.
In other words, the licensed archaeologist is the only
person who may collect artifacts, but she or he does not own them. In fact, one
could say that every resident of Ontario owns them, but no single individual
does.
Does this mean
that I need to turn over the collection that my grandfather made in 1952?
No. While it would be great if it was donated to a museum,
the province is not attempting to recover old collections. It does mean that
you should not be adding to that collection.
Can anyone
dig?
Only those with an archaeological licence or people directly
supervised by someone with a professional or research archaeological license
may excavate.
What is the
penalty for digging without a license?
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 happens
if we find a burial?
The Cemeteries
Act and the Funeral, Burial and Cremation
Services Act, when proclaimed
in force, requires 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. The
Cemeteries Act requires that the descendants or representatives of those buried
at the site be consulted prior to any decision regarding final disposition of
the remains be made.
Who are the descendants of the people who once lived here?
The
Huron/Wendat confederacy that consisted of four or five confederated nations
living between Nottawasaga Bay and Lake Simcoe. They reported to have lived
here some 200 to 300 years prior to the first Europeans arriving in Huronia and
were Iroquoian by culture and language.
How can I get
more involved?
Join the Ontario Archaeological Society or come to a local
chapter meeting.
BENEFITS OF OAS MEMBERSHIP
- Membership
in Ontario's archaeological community. Eligibility to join one or more of
the Society's Chapters in Hamilton, Huronia, London, Peterborough,
Thunder Bay, Ottawa, Toronto or Windsor.
- Tours
of archaeological interest in Ontario and beyond.
- Participation
in workshops, courses, seminars.
- Eligibility
to present a paper at the Society's annual symposium.
- Attendance
at the Society's annual symposium, business meeting and banquet.
- Attendance
at lectures and meetings.
- Information
on excavations and volunteer opportunities.
- Subscription
to Ontario Archaeology, our refereed journal.
- Subscription
to Arch Notes, our bi-monthly newsletter and your window on the
current Ontario archaeology scene.
- Purchase of specialist items such as buttons, badges, T-shirts,
posters.
- Access
to the Society's research library, computer services and information on
archaeological databases.
- Participation
in working committees at provincial and chapter levels.
- Eligibility for
awards or other forms of recognition (and the opportunity to endow and/or
create such awards).
The Huronia chapter of
the OAS meet the second Wednesday of each month at the Huronia Museum in
Midland, Ontario.
Meetings start at 7:pm
with a presentation and is followed by a business meeting of the chapter.
Members, guests and
the general public are welcome to attend at no charge.
Visit the Huronia chapter blog to
stay informed of chapter activities and join in the discussions relating to the
archaeology and history of Huronia.
More on the legalities of the
practice of archaeology in Ontario:
http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/archaeology/archaeology.shtml
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