Thanks to archaeological excavations, people have the opportunity to learn about how their ancestors lived and what they did. Excavations are carried out in many places, and Edmonton is no exception. Many artifacts have been found by archaeologists on the unique section of 17th St & Petroleum Way, in the Strathcona area. The place is located across the river from Rundle Park, on a high terrace in the Strathcona Science Park. For more information, please visit the website edmonton-future.
Тhe uniqueness of the study area
Once this place was open to tourists, but now it is inaccessible to the public. The location of Strathcona is similar to other prehistoric sites in Edmonton, but it has its distinct features. For example, the North Saskatchewan River is visible from the site, and closer to the northern side, a steep bank can be seen, which may have once contained water. The area also has good access to the southwest, which made it a great place for camping.
Initially, archaeologists thought that there was a stone quarry on this site. However, when they began their research, they noticed good exposures of quartzite rubble and argillite, which completely disproved any existence of the quarry.
Archaeological finds that were successfully obtained
All the data collected by scientists indicate that the Strathcona territory was first settled during the middle prehistoric period, approximately 5000 years ago. The work was difficult, as it required traveling several kilometers of territory, studying it thoroughly, and only then beginning to search for artifacts.
Archaeologists found several projectile point types on this site, including Okotoks, McKenzie, Duncan, Hannah, Pelican Lake and Late Prehistoric projectile points. All the artifacts found were placed in a matrix with a thickness of 50-75 cm, and the projectile points were located in their correct positions. The oldest points were located in the lowest deposits, and the newest were closer to the ground surface.
On the lower ground level, archaeologists managed to discover the remains of an ancient hearth. It was not a deep pit in the ground, it contained dark, organic soil, leading the archaeologists to conclude that it was a hearth. In addition, many remains of rocks broken by fire, hammers, stone slag, stone tools, scrapers, blades, and projectile tips have been found. The location where the people of the Stone Age made their stone tools was also uncovered.
During this excavation, rare animal bones were also found, including the remains of a lower jaw of a bison. This allowed scientists to infer which animals the people of the Stone Age kept on the land.
Thanks to a specialized approach, archaeologists have uncovered many artifacts, most of which consist of stone flakes and fragments. Several square meters contained between 600 and 2000 stone artifacts, and quartz is prevalent in the findings.
During the examination of the found flakes, it was discovered that their core was made of wood covered with stone. This represents a unique technology in which pieces of stone are carefully prepared to make small, narrow stone flakes.
Archaeologists have carefully studied many of the fragments found at this site. They did this to determine the methods used by the indigenous tribes to make their stone tools.
Based on the research that has been conducted, it is still unclear whether the ancient inhabitants of Strathcona visited the area exclusively to collect stone for tool production. It is also not clear if they stayed in the region for hunting and fishing activities.
Kwa sababu ya uchimbuaji wa vitu vya kale, watu wana nafasi ya kujifunza jinsi mababu zao walivyoishi na kazi zao. Uchimbuaji hufanywa katika sehemu nyingi, na Edmonton si tofauti. Vitu vingi vya kale vimepatikana na wataalamu wa vitu vya kale katika sehemu ya kipekee ya 17th St. na Petroleum Way, katika eneo la Strathcona. Mahali iko katika mto kutoka Rundle Park, juu ya terrace juu katika Strathcona Sayansi Park. Kwa habari zaidi, tafadhali tembelea tovuti ya edmonton-future. Utofauti wa eneo la utafiti Wakati mmoja mahali hapa ilikuwa wazi kwa watalii, lakini sasa ni inaccessible kwa umma. Eneo la Strathcona linafanana na maeneo mengine ya kale ya Edmonton, lakini lina sifa zake tofauti. Kwa mfano, Mto Saskatchewan wa Kaskazini unaonekana kutoka eneo hilo, na karibu na upande wa kaskazini, benki ya mteremko inaweza kuonekana, ambayo inaweza kuwa wakati mmoja ilikuwa na maji. Eneo hilo pia lina njia nzuri ya kufika kusini-magharibi, jambo ambalo lilifanya liwe mahali pazuri pa kupiga kambi. Mwanzoni, wataalamu wa vitu vya kale walidhani kwamba kulikuwa na mgodi wa mawe mahali hapo. Hata hivyo, walipoanza utafiti wao, waligundua kwamba kulikuwa na mabaki mazuri ya mawe ya quartzite na argillite, jambo ambalo lilikataa kabisa kuwapo kwa mgodi huo. "Kutokana na utafiti wa kihistoria, utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti.""" Kazi hiyo ilikuwa ngumu, kwa kuwa ilihitaji kusafiri kilometa kadhaa katika eneo hilo, kulichunguza kwa undani, na kisha tu kuanza kutafuta vitu vya kale. Wataalamu wa vitu vya kale walipata aina kadhaa za makombora kwenye tovuti hii, pamoja na Okotoks, McKenzie, Duncan, Hannah, Ziwa la Pelican na makombora ya mwisho ya Prehistoric. Vitu vyote vilivyopatikana viliwekwa katika matrix yenye unene wa sentimita 50-75 na ncha za makombora zilikuwa katika nafasi zao sahihi. Sehemu za kale zaidi zilikuwa katika matope ya chini zaidi, na zile mpya zaidi zilikuwa karibu zaidi na uso wa ardhi. Katika orofa ya chini ya ardhi, wataalamu wa vitu vya kale walifaulu kugundua mabaki ya moto wa kale. Huo haukuwa shimo la kina kirefu, bali lilikuwa na udongo mweusi wenye viumbe hai, jambo ambalo liliwafanya wataalamu wa vitu vya kale wafikie mkataa kwamba huo ulikuwa moto. Kwa kuongezea, mabaki mengi ya miamba iliyovunjwa na moto, nyundo, chokaa ya mawe, vifaa vya mawe, vipande vya kupasua, mbao, na ncha za makombora yamepatikana. Eneo ambalo watu wa Enzi ya Jiwe walitengeneza vifaa vyao vya mawe pia liligunduliwa. Wakati wa uchimbuaji huo, mifupa ya wanyama wasio wa kawaida ilipatikana pia, kutia ndani mabaki ya taya ya chini ya nyati. Hilo liliwawezesha wanasayansi kugundua ni wanyama gani waliowekwa na watu wa Enzi ya Jiwe kwenye nchi kavu. Kwa sababu ya mbinu ya kipekee, wataalamu wa vitu vya kale wamegundua vitu vingi vya kale, ambavyo vingi ni vipande vya mawe. Katika eneo la mita za mraba, kuna vitu vya mawe kati ya 600 na 2000 na quartz ni maarufu katika matokeo. Wakati wa kuchunguza vipande vilivyopatikana, iligunduliwa kwamba kiini chao kilitengenezwa kwa mbao zilizofunikwa kwa mawe. Hii inawakilisha teknolojia ya kipekee ambayo vipande vya mawe hutayarishwa kwa uangalifu ili kutengeneza vipande vidogo, vidogo vya mawe. Wataalamu wa vitu vya kale wamechunguza kwa uangalifu vipande vingi vilivyopatikana katika eneo hilo. Walifanya hivyo ili kujua njia ambazo makabila ya wenyeji walitumia kutengeneza vifaa vyao vya mawe. Kwa mujibu wa utafiti uliofanywa, bado haijulikani ikiwa wakazi wa kale wa Strathcona walitembelea eneo hilo tu kukusanya mawe kwa ajili ya utengenezaji wa vifaa. Pia haijulikani wazi kama walikaa katika eneo hilo kwa ajili ya shughuli za uwindaji na uvuvi.