Adventures in archaeology at the Ontario Heritage Trust

Abstract

To generalize, public archaeology can be defined as archaeology as presented to the public, participated in or by the public, and in a broader definition, archaeology conducted utilizing public funds (i.e., taxpayer dollars). Access to archaeological resources can be used to fulfill knowledge and belief needs for all peoples or groups. The techniques and approaches utilized to accomplish these programs in Ontario include excavation projects, field schools, school group day programs, summer day camps, public lectures, site tours, and public awareness programs often offered in the context of a museum and/or more recently by archaeological societies. Archaeology in Ontario, as regulated by the Ontario Heritage Act of 1974, and the Ontario Ministry of Culture, ensures preservation and protection of archaeological sites across Ontario and the licensing of archaeologists within the province. Archaeological investigations in Ontario are carried out by a variety of dedicated people, who range from academic researchers and professional consultants, to avocational archaeologists who go out on weekends to study sites. Regardless of the person or persons involved, archaeological investigations in Ontario are undertaken by people, who are licensed by the province and who report their findings to the province so that the information resulting from their endeavors will not be lost. Ontario now has a thriving community of professional archaeologists, who assist in addressing the impact of development on archaeological resources. To undertake any kind of archaeological fieldwork in Ontario, the Ontario Heritage Act [Part VI, Section 48(1)] requires that a person hold a valid archaeological license, issued by the Province of Ontario. These licenses are not transferable, are valid for 3 years from the year of issue, and given that report requirements are met on an annual basis, are issued according to three categories: professional, researcher, or avocational. The ministry also provides licenses to divers who wish to dive a shipwreck for conservation purposes (as opposed to a sports or recreational dive). Having a license puts some obligations on the license holder. He or she must report on research findings to the province [section 65(1)] in accordance with reporting requirements stipulated in the Act and ministry guidelines. License holders are also required to report all new sites found during the fieldwork. New sites that are found are added to the Archaeological Sites Database held by the Ministry of Culture. In this way, a person or persons interested in providing public archaeology programs are now required, by law, to be licensed and report on the work conducted under that license. In this chapter, an overview of the development of public archaeology in Ontario is discussed prior to a discussion on the growth of public archaeology on Trust properties.