Indigenous artifacts dating back up to 4,500 years found in downtown Hamilton park | 24CA News
Indigenous artifacts which may be as much as 4,523 years previous have been present in a downtown Hamilton park, metropolis officers say.
An archeological dig at Victoria Park, the place the town can be putting in a sprig pad, unearthed a stemmed level and triangular level each manufactured from stone. The metropolis mentioned they might be as much as 4,523 and 1,523 years previous, respectively. Five flint flakes have been additionally discovered.
There are additionally artifacts that are not Indigenous, together with an 1859 Queen Victoria coin, a sixteenth Regiment army button made in 1860 and a carved-bone, single domino piece.
Wes Kindree, the town’s panorama architectural companies supervisor, mentioned archeological work has been performed on the park since 2007 due to its “rich history.”
The discovery of Indigenous artifacts in early June was surprising as a result of the realm was supposedly a “Euro-Canadian site,” in keeping with Kindree.
Within its historical past, the park was additionally house to the “glass-enclosed” Crystal Palace, which, in keeping with the Hamilton Public Library, opened in 1860 and was “used year round for agricultural and industrial exhibits.”
It’s not stunning Indigenous artifacts have been discovered close to the town’s core, mentioned Rick Monture, a McMaster University affiliate professor within the departments of English, cultural and Indigenous research.
Monture, who can be a member of the Mohawk Nation, Turtle clan, from Six Nations of the Grand River, mentioned most cities and cities in southern Ontario have been constructed on Indigenous villages due to their entry to wash water and their esthetic qualities.
“You could probably put a shovel in any city block and find something of note,” he mentioned.
Indigenous artifacts have been discovered within the Red Hill Valley in Hamilton and, extra not too long ago, within the present-day Mount Albion West space.
Only licensed archeologists are allowed to analyze and excavate archeological websites, that are protected below the Ontario Heritage Act. Anyone looting or destroying the websites can withstand a $1-million effective.
Monture mentioned the artifacts in Victoria Park could not have a tonne of cultural significance, so the town ought to do their due diligence however could not must halt work for a very long time.
“If they’d found human remains … or evidence of a village … that’s one thing, but these are probably arrow points that a guy took a shot at a deer [with] and missed,” he mentioned.
Lauren Vastano, a metropolis spokesperson, mentioned the town contacted Huron Wendat First Nation, Six Nations of the Grand River, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Haudenosaunee Development Institute to share the artifact findings and invite them to assist with the remainder of the archeological work.
Kindree mentioned the archeological work was set for this week, however could also be performed subsequent week because of the moist climate altering soil situations.
He mentioned the spray pad will not be open this yr, however ought to be prepared for subsequent May.
