Province Confirms Pre-Columbian Indigenous Site Found In Hat

A piece of a bison skull located at a pre-Columbian Indigenous meat processing site within Medicine Hat city limits. Provincial officials are confirming another such site has been found during construction at the city’s water treatment plant. (File photo).

The province of Alberta is confirming the discovery of a millennia old Indigenous archeological find at the construction site at the Medicine Hat water treatment plant. However, the city of Medicine Hat says it can’t comment on the find nor will confirm the site is Indigenous in nature.

The find dates back more than 1,000 years at least, according to a statement provided by a spokesperson with the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women Friday afternoon.

“The archaeological excavation in Medicine Hat revealed two deeply buried ancient Indigenous campsites, including evidence of bison bone processing and stone tool production activities that date to approximately 1,100 to 1,500 years ago.”

While the confirmation of the Indigenous archeological find is new, the site is believed to have been discovered in 2023 with excavations and report completed in 2024.

City officials will not comment on the discovery despite the report being commissioned by the municipality following uncovering the site during construction. A city spokesperson confirmed earlier this week the province has directed them not to comment.

The province is not disputing they have restricted the city of Medicine Hat from commenting on the find and will provide the final report once it is reviewed.

On Wednesday during an interview with the Medicine Hat Owl regarding the find, Mayor Linnsie Clark stated city administration has not briefed her or council on the nature of the site, nor whether it involved Indigenous peoples’ connection to the land.

That report was conducted by Stantec and submitted to the province in July 2024.

Despite local archeologists and Indigenous sources telling the Medicine Hat Owl over the past seven months they have received little to no information regarding the find, the province is stating that information has been made available.

“Archaeological site information is made readily available to archaeologists and Indigenous communities in Alberta, but broader distribution is typically restricted to prevent unauthorized disturbances and looting,” read the statement.

Full details of the Medicine Hat Owl’s seven-month investigation into the archeological site discovery will be published in the coming days.