Released on June 6, 2011
The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed June as Archaeology month and the Saskatchewan Archaeology Society invites you to join them in discovering our province's rich archaeological heritage.
Archaeology month raises awareness about the importance of preserving the archaeological record which tells the story of the province's past. This spring and summer, the society will be highlighting Saskatchewan's 12,000 year-old history of First Nations, Métis, Euro-Canadians, and other groups who have lived here, as a means of fostering greater awareness of the province's archaeological sites and landscapes.
"Our province has a rich archaeological history that we can learn a lot from," Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Bill Hutchinson said. "The Saskatchewan Archaeological Society's educational and promotional work helps Saskatchewan residents and visitors better understand and appreciate our province's past."
This year the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society is planning several unique activities for people of all ages, including field trips, workshops, tours of archaeological sites as well as having experts identify artifacts at evening public talks at the Frances Morrison Library in Saskatoon on June 16 and at the George Bothwell Library in Regina on June 22. The public is also welcome to help out on actual field excavations from June 6 to 10 at Hudson Bay Regional Park and to participate in an archaeological survey of the Cabri Lake area throughout the month of June. Other field school opportunities occur throughout the summer.
"The archaeological heritage of Saskatchewan is outstanding," Saskatchewan Archaeological Society Acting Executive Director Kim Wutzke said. "We hope that people will come out and learn about the archaeology of the province through hands-on experiences. We can connect the public with great people and great resources to help them better understand our shared and unique past."
With nine active chapters located across the province, the hope is that Saskatchewan residents and visitors will find an activity of interest near home or their summer vacation destinations. To learn more about Saskatchewan archaeology and the events planned for Archaeology Month, visit www.saskarchsoc.ca.
The Saskatchewan Archaeological Society is a non-profit, volunteer organization that works to educate the public about the province's past in order to preserve these non-renewable resources and the information that can be gathered from them for the future.
The Heritage Conservation Branch of the Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport maintains the Provincial Archaeological Site Inventory which records the locations of more than 22,000 archaeological sites across the province. Visit www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca/heritage to learn more.
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For more information, contact:
Sean St. George
Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport
Regina
Phone: 306-787-9087
Email: sean.stgeorge@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-526-8635
Kim Wutzke
Saskatchewan Archaeological Society
Saskatoon
Phone: 306-664-4124
Email: saskarchsoc@sasktel.net