More Than Mounds: The Untold Story of New Brunswick's Historical Sites

How would you feel if someone built their house on your great-grandparents' grave? It's a powerful and disturbing thought, and it's a feeling that resonates deeply when we consider the development of land in Eastern Canada, where the struggle to avoid ancient, unknown historical sites has become a significant challenge.

The region, particularly the area around Passamaquoddy Bay, holds significant archaeological sites that tell the story of hunter-gatherer societies dating back thousands of years.

A Tapestry of Ancient Life Along the Passamaquoddy Bay

The Passamaquoddy Bay area is a focal point for archaeological research, home to numerous coastal shell middens—refuse heaps of shells, bones, and artifacts that reveal details of daily life. The Partridge Island Site, for example, contains artifacts and features that predate 2,000 B.P.. Artifacts found at the site include lithic tools such as notched bifaces and unifacial flake tools, as well as ceramics with distinctive cordwrapped stick and dentate stamped motifs. These discoveries, along with faunal data, offer a glimpse into the seasonal activities of the inhabitants.

Further inland, the Mud Lake Stream and Diggity sites, located on opposite ends of Spednic Lake, showcase a different kind of settlement. These sites, located on the St. Croix River system that flows into Passamaquoddy Bay, served as key bases for hunting, fishing, and possibly birding expeditions. The Mud Lake Stream site, with evidence of occupation dating back 4,000 years, is considered one of New Brunswick's most significant pre-contact archaeological sites. Artifacts found there include spear points, knives, plummets, and a fully grooved axe, with calcined bone fragments indicating a focus on fishing. The Diggity Site, a winter campsite, has yielded artifacts such as stone hide scrapers, pottery shards, and charred animal bones, primarily from beavers. These inland sites provide rare insights into the adaptations of hunter-gatherer societies to a lakeside setting.

The Ancient Portage Route and the Land of a Younger Earth

While many sites are concentrated along the coast, a crucial ancient portage route connected the St. John River Valley to the coast. This overland route linked the major native village of Meductic on the St. John River to the Eel River and the Passamaquoddy Bay region. The existence of these routes demonstrates the deep understanding of the land and the strategic movement of early inhabitants.

Although archaeological evidence for sites dating back 12,000 years in New Brunswick is limited, sites from the Paleoindian period (12,000-9,000 years ago) have been found elsewhere in eastern North America. During this time, the landscape was significantly different, shaped by melting glaciers and large meltwater lakes. People were highly mobile, nomadic hunter-gatherers, and their distinctive fluted spear points, known as Clovis points, are found across the continent. The presence of these artifacts suggests the initial exploration and colonization of the region.

The Imperative of Preservation

The archaeological record of New Brunswick is a fragile and finite resource. As noted in the provided documents, many sites have already been lost due to development, such as the damming of the St. Croix River. The Mehtawtik (Meductic) Village, for example, a principal settlement of the Welastekokewiyik (Maliseets), now lies beneath the waters of the Mactaquac Hydroelectric Dam.

Protecting and preserving these sites is not just about safeguarding artifacts; it is about honoring the history and cultural heritage of the peoples who have lived on this land for millennia. The information they hold is critical for understanding our shared past and for making informed land-use decisions that protect culturally significant areas. By prioritizing the identification and preservation of these sites, we can ensure that this invaluable heritage is not lost to future generations.