A bucket auger can be a useful tool to test for buried paleosols. An auger is a tool used for boring holes in the ground. This one has a cross handles and a rotating shaft with a bucket on the end. The bucket is placed on the ground and then the cross handles are turned. When the archaeologist is done, the auger is pulled up along with the soil that was in the bucket.
This summer we were working in Mackenzie County, where Brian found this biface. This tool was most likely intended to be used as a knife.
We get to do a lot of traveling around Alberta during the summer. Sometimes when time permits, we get to stop at local attractions. During a recent trip to Fort Vermilion we made a stop at St. Louis Catholic Church in what is locally referred to as ‘Buttertown’. This church was built in 1906-1909.
Check out the Fort Vermilion Heritage Center website for more information about the church and other attractions in the area
The most common wooden structure we find in the forest are cabins. However, once in a while we find something a little bit different. During a recent trip to Fort Vermilion, we found what we think could be an old ferry.
Augering is another method used by archaeologists to test for deep sites and buried paleosols. In this picture Brian is using an auger to look for buried paleosols.
There are times when a shovel just won’t cut it. Some areas have high potential for deep sedimentation. When this occurs archaeologists will turn to other methods to look for sites and for buried paleosols. In this picture Kurt is about to monitor a backhoe while it digs a trench for us to examine. The end result is a long deep tench like the one pictured here.
Tree Time Archaeology 