"'Significant' artifacts discovered during Brantford YMCA dig"

Archaeologists have unearthed a cache of Iroquoian artifacts between 1,000 and 1,500 years old while digging at the new YMCA Athletic Centre site on Colborne Street south in downtown Brantford.

The project has since been halted and Six Nations has been notified of the artifacts that were discovered on Oct. 21.

"(Wilfrid) Laurier (University) and the YMCA recognize that this is an important discovery and are pleased to be engaged with Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI), Six Nations Elected Council and the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, as further archeological investigation proceeds," said Brian Rosborough, senior executive officer of Laurier Brantford. The university has partnered with the YMCA to build the athletic centre.

Artifacts discovered include chert flakes and pottery fragments.

"The items discovered are in the possession of the archeologist," said Rosborough. "It is believed that the items may have come from a midden. Only cultural material has been discovered, not human remains."

A midden is an archaeological term for a trash or garbage heap.

Archaeological Research Associates Ltd. discovered the artifacts.

They were in the midst of a stage two archeological assessment when the items were discovered.

"It's my understanding that a stage one assessment had been previously undertaken by the city (of Brantford) and no aboriginal cultural material had been discovered at that time," said Rosborough.

He said archaeologists determined the chert flakes "significant."

The items were discovered on a slope near Water Street in pockets of earth that had not been disturbed by 19th century construction, said Rosborough.

"Most of the site had been the location of buildings and foundations constructed in the 19th century leaving very little land previously undisturbed."

Further archeological work is proceeding in order to determine the extent of the site and to ensure that the archeological site and further items that may be unearthed are protected, said Rosborough.

The HDI and both elected councils will be involved in stage three and stage four assessment activities, he said.

"It is fortunate that there are areas on the site that were not previously disturbed during 19th century construction."

Rosborough expects further archeological work will take two to three months.

He said project proponents have consulted with Six Nations since the project's inception.

"Consultation and engagement with the community on this project has been underway since the project's inception and remains on­going. Laurier and the YMCA are committed to creating a facility that reflects the interests of the aboriginal community and benefits aboriginal people in this area. This discovery provides an important opportunity for learning and another way in which this location's history can be reflected in the project."

The facility is scheduled to open in 2017.