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I.R. Wilson Consultants Ltd. | |
| Answers to Frequently Asked Questions | ||
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ARCHAEOLOGY TRIVIA
Anything in British Columbia older than 1846 is protected under the Heritage Conservation Act Archaeological Planning and Assessment reviews all final permit reports |
It's my land, who says I
have to hire an archaeologist?
Your obligation to conduct archaeological studies (also
known as heritage inspection or investigation) is
defined in the Heritage Conservation Act. This
legislation is designed to protect and record evidence
of past human activity. I think I've found some sort of artifact. What do I do? If you disturb an archaeological site you can be liable for heavy fines or even jail. But don't panic. If you have accidentally uncovered something, you won't be held responsible unless you continue to cause damage. If you think you've found something give us a call. The local First Nation says they don't have any concerns about my project/property so I don't have to do the archaeology, right? Wrong. First Nations are part of the consultation process, but archaeology requirements are determined by Archaeological Planning and Assessment.
Who pays the archaeologist?
How soon can the archaeology be done? Time of year, size of land area, type of study, location, etc., will all affect the project schedule. However before a typical study can start the archaeologist must put together an application for Heritage Conservation Act Permit and submit it to Archaeological Planning and Assessment for approval. On average this step can take about six weeks. In extraordinary circumstances this process can sometimes be accelerated. |
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Glossary of Terms
ANTHROPOLOGY The study of human cultures and how they
interact with their environments over time. In order to
interpret the many aspects of cultures it is important
to include ethnographies, oral history, archaeology, as
well as cultural and physical anthropology.
ARCHAEOLOGY The study of past human activity based
primarily on the recovery, analysis, and description of physical
evidence. Although ethnographic and oral histories are used in
archaeology, emphasis is on information retrieved from
excavations and surveys.
Archaeological Planning and Assessment British Columbia
Provincial Government. Branch of the Ministry of
Sustainable Resource Management responsible for
management and protection of archaeological sites.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (AIA) A study that
attempts to identify and evaluate heritage resources within a
proposed development area as well as the assessment of possible
impacts by the development on these sites. This work forms the
basis for determining the need for additional mitigative work.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVENTORY A study that attempts to
identify the presence or absence of physical archaeological
materials and/or evidence.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL OVERVIEW ASSESSMENT A study of
documents and maps intended to identify and assess heritage
resource potential or the likelihood that sites are present
within a given area.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL PERMIT Issued by Archaeological Planning and Assessment
and allows identification, assessment and/or
modification of an archaeological site.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE Any geographic location that
contains physical evidence of past human activity for which
the application of scientific and archaeological methods of
inquiry (e.g., site survey, excavation, data analysis, etc.)
are the primary source of information. These sites do not
necessarily hold direct associations with living communities.
Examples of archaeological sites include shell middens, lithic
scatters, house pits, petroglyphs and pictographs.
ARTIFACT An object (often bone or stone) intentionally
modified through human action; for example, a projectile point.
ATLATL Stick used to propel a spear.
BIFACE Stone tool which has been worked on
two opposing faces or sides, such as a knife.
CACHE PIT Circular depression in the ground less
than 3 m wide and usually lined with stones. Within these pits
food, and other necessary items could be stored and covered with
larger stones in order to protect them from wildlife.
CULTURALLY MODIFIED TREE (CMT) A tree that has been
historically or prehistorically modified by native or non native
people. In the field of archaeology a CMT is most commonly
associated with Native peoples historical or prehistorical tree
utilization. Tree use can be identified by scars from bark
stripping, blazing, plank removal, test holes, or felling. Bark
strips may be long and tapered vertically or wide and horizontal
around the tree. The most common types of trees revealing these
scars include red and yellow cedar, birch, lodgepole pine and
hemlock.
ETHNOGRAPHY Description of living peoples
usually through observations or interviews.
FAUNAL REMAINS Animal remains associated with
human activity but not used as tools.
HABITATION/HOUSE PIT SITE Site used frequently over
multiple occupations, represented as one or more circular or
rectangular depressions in the ground revealing evidence of
seasonal or permanent habitation. The size of these depressions
can average from approximately 3 to 8 m wide and approximately
1 to 3 m deep. Habitation sites are important for the study of
past lifeways and generally have high heritage significance.
HERITAGE CONSERVATION ACT Legislation designed
to protect archaeological and heritage resources. Ensures
that most archaeological sites are protected by law.
HISTORICAL SITE Place which indicates past human
occupation or use dating from 1846 forward (in British
Columbia). Historical sites
can be studied not only by archaeological methods but also
through the analysis of written records.
IMPACT ASSESSMENT Archaeological work to assess
the impact of a proposed project on an archaeological resource.
Methods of investigation can involve documentary research,
survey, excavation, and/or other methods. This work forms
the basis for determining the need for possible additional
mitigative work.
INVENTORY Compilation of a list of archaeological
resources within a given project area through archival and
field procedures.
LITHIC Stone tool or the debris from stone
tool manufacture.
MITIGATION Archaeological work to mitigate
(make less damaging) the disturbance occurring to an archaeological
site resource due to a project. Can take the form of excavation,
documentation, oral history, historical research, and/or
laboratory analysis. Can incorporate protective measures
such as avoidance or capping to avoid or reduce site damage.
PETROGLYPH Picture pecked or carved into stone.
PICTOGRAPH Picture painted often with red ochre
onto a rock surface.
SHOVEL TESTS Similar to exploratory units, shovel tests
also reveal information from below the surface but on a smaller
and less precise scale. The significance of a shovel test is to
identify the presence or absence of historic and prehistoric
physical evidence.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE FORM Developed by Archaeological Planning
and Assessment for the systematic collection of detailed
information about an archaeological site.
SURVEY A step of the archaeological impact assessment
and inventory whereby areas are examined in the field for
archaeological evidence based on recorded archaeological sites,
known areas of ethnographic use, land forms, tree and plant types,
terrain, and location of water sources.
TRADITIONAL USE SITE Any geographically defined area
that has been customarily used by one or more contemporary groups
of aboriginal people for some type of culturally significant
activity. These sites may not reveal physical evidence of use.
Traditional use sites are usually documented through oral, historical,
and archival sources. Examples include resource gathering areas,
locations of culturally significant events, etc.
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