Draper and Duffin Creek Archaeology
The Draper Site: An Expanding Village
Our 1975 and 1978 excavations at the Draper Site revealed many fascinating aspects about this Iroquoian village which has traditionally been dated to about 1450-1500 A.D.
Digging Middens on the Draper Site
An important goal of our investigations was to excavate the middens (garbage dumps) located across the Draper site, where we found significant quantities of artifacts.
Digging for Houses and Palisades at the Draper Site, Part 2
Our excavations to search for longhouses and palisades revealed a unique and very complex settlement. At the same time, our detailed investigation of some of the undisturbed longhouses provided an unparalleled opportunity to explore the artifacts left behind when the longhouses of the village were abandoned . . .
Digging for Houses and Palisades at the Draper Site, Part 1
There were two major kinds of archaeological deposits at the Draper site that we had to investigate: settlement pattern data (longhouses and defensive structures) and middens (garbage dumps with many artifacts).
Our Lands Speak: Early Excavations at the Draper Site – Part 2
Welcome back. In my last blog, I reviewed the excavation at the Draper site prior to the expropriation of the land for the proposed construction of the Pickering Airport. With the development of plans for airport construction, the Archaeological Survey of Canada,...
Our Lands Speak: Early Excavations at the Draper Site-Part 1
The Draper site was first excavated by members of the Ontario Archaeological Society (O.A.S.) in 1953. This work was summarized by William Donaldson, one of the members of the society in 1963. Excavations at the site focused on that of middens. Approximately...
Our Lands Speak: 1974: Getting Ready to Dig the Draper Site, Part 2
In my last blog, I detailed the work involved in completing my Ph.D. dissertation in 1974. During the summer of 1974 much of my time was spent preparing the draft and final copies of the first four chapter of this dissertation. At the same time, I received a small...
Our Lands Speak: 1974: Getting Ready to Dig the Draper Site
In my blog post on January 2 of this year, I discussed the importance of my Ph.D. research in the field and laboratory in preparing me for my future career in archaeology. This was particularly the case when I agreed to undertake the complete excavation of the Draper...