'This site has other stories to tell': Sask. man finds ancient bison bone
A community-focused historian has found several potential ancient artifacts along the Saskatchewan River, including a bison bone that is over 8,000 years old.
Dave Rondeau has visited the site north of Prince Albert for years. It piqued his interest as he often saw bones protrude from the land. Recently, he sent one for carbon testing in Ottawa. Results showed it was the shoulder blade of a bison from 8,200 years ago.
Dave Rondeau had this bone carbon tested and found out it was dated back 8,200 years. (Stacey Hein/CTV News)
"That bone sample wasn't even taken from the very bottom paleosol, so this site has other stories to tell," Rondeau told CTV News.
Paleosols - the dark lines in the land - are a strong sign of human habitation, according to Rondeau. He believes the site may have been a bison jump.
The site is also home to many pieces of debitage - the leftover matter from making stone tools and weapons. Rondeau said, after finding numerous traditional Indigenous tools, the next step is involving First Nation peoples.
Sturgeon Lake First Nation band councillor Anita Parenteau is excited to share the history with her community.
"This is proof that we were here, and I can't wait to see what they find," she said.
A spring flood or rain can erode part of the land, and reveal more artifacts, according to archaeologist Gabriel Lamarche.
"Even if there's not an active excavation, there will be ongoing opportunities to see what was going on at that site over time," Lamarche told CTV News.
Rondeau said studying and preserving this site is crucial.
"It could easily be lost, or destroyed. We have to re-examine where we live because once this history is lost, it's gone forever," he said.
A geoarchaeologist from the University of Calgary is expected to assess the site in spring to learn more about the unique landscape.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.