Cultural Exchange at Major Canadian Site

WINNIPEG, CANADA—More than 150 campfire pits and 400,000 artifacts have been uncovered at The Forks, an archaeological site at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. The various styles of pottery that have been found support the idea that The Forks was a stopping, trading, and meeting place, as does the oral history preserved by local First Nations elders. “They explained that 32 generations ago, or 500 to 700 years ago, a major peace meeting or treaty occurred between seven to 11 different First Nations at that site,” said archaeologist Mireille Lamontange. She has also found evidence of early forms of agriculture, including fragments of scapula hoe, squash knives, and residues of maize, beans, and tobacco.