News Release
July 29, 2024
Experience Archaeology Month and help recover artifacts at the National Capital Commission’s (NCC) public archaeological digs at Leamy Lake Park. Learn about the pre-contact period (before the arrival of Europeans) with the help of expert archaeologists and in collaboration with Anishinàbe Odjìbikan, the archaeological field school composed of members from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, and the Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation.
Members of the NCC Archaeology Program will supervise the digs. There will also be a flintknapping demonstration, where the public can learn about how stone tools were made.
Leamy Lake Park contains the largest complex of pre-contact archaeological sites currently known in the Ottawa River drainage basin. Used continuously for more than 6,000 years by Indigenous groups, the main occupation dates back 1,000 to 2,000 years ago. The artifact collections recovered from these sites provide important information about Indigenous history in the National Capital Region.
Public digs are from 9 am to 5 pm on the following dates:
- Thursday, August 1 and Friday, August 2
- Wednesday, August 7
- Friday, August 9 to Monday, August 12
- Wednesday, August 14
- Wednesday, August 21
- Friday, August 23 to Monday, August 26
- Wednesday, August 28
These free public digs are a great learning opportunity for residents and visitors of all ages. Simulated archaeological digs for children under 10 will also be available. We recommend that you bring water and insect repellent and wear a hat, long pants, gloves and closed-toe shoes with good treads, as a section of the trail to the dig site includes rough terrain.
Learn more