A remarkable archaeological discovery in Canada is offering new insights into North America’s early Indigenous civilizations, challenging long-held ideas about early human settlement.
Unearthed near the vicinity of Sturgeon Lake First Nation, archaeologists say the remains of an 11,000-year-old settlement could represent one of the earliest Indigenous habitation sites ever found in North America.
The discovery, according to researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, was made along the North Saskatchewan River, approximately 5 kilometers north of Prince Albert.
While an abundance of archaeological evidence from this period in North American prehistory exists, the discovery of habitation sites from such early periods in the continent’s deep history is much rarer.
Evidence at the site now suggests the presence of more highly organized societies in the region at the time, pushing back the timescales for such discoveries and challenging past ideas about some of the earliest human settlements from the period.
A Chance Discovery
Echoing many of history’s most important archaeological discoveries, the North Saskatchewan River site was first located by Dave Rondeau, an avocational archaeologist who had been surveying the area and spotted artifacts exposed by an eroding portion of the riverbank.
For Rondeau, it was a surprising—and deeply exciting—moment of discovery.
“I saw the layers of history peeking through the soil,” Rondeau said about the discovery, adding, “I felt the weight of generations staring back at me.”
“Now that the evidence has proven my first instincts, this site is shaking up everything we thought we knew and could change the narrative of early Indigenous civilizations in North America.”
Earlier this year, a meeting at Sturgeon Lake’s Cultural Center between archaeologists from the University of Saskatchewan and council leaders with Sturgeon Lake First Nation discussed the importance of the discoveries at the site. Primarily, rather than a hunting camp used only seasonally, evidence suggests the site discovered by Rondeau was a long-term settlement.
Among the evidence supporting this conclusion is the presence of charcoal layers indicating fire management, which the University of Saskatchewan research team says aligns with oral traditions from the region.
Dr. Glenn Stuart from the University of Saskatchewan said the site’s amazing state of preservation has been game-changing for him and his colleagues.
“This discovery challenges the outdated idea that early Indigenous peoples were solely nomadic,” Dr. Stuart said in a statement. “The evidence of long-term settlement and land stewardship suggests a deep-rooted presence,” Stuart added.
However, according to Stuart, there could also be a few controversial implications for the discovery.
“It also raises questions about the Bering Strait Theory,” Stuart said, a possibility that he says could offer additional support for “oral histories that [say] Indigenous communities have lived here for countless generations.”
Oral Traditions Confirmed
Such oral traditions from the region have long maintained that the region’s earliest inhabitants thrived here, and that the area was strategically significant for early trade and prehistoric culture.
Chief Christine Longjohn called the discovery “a powerful reminder that our ancestors were here, building, thriving, and shaping the land long before history books acknowledged us.”
Longjohn said that, despite such a deep presence being conveyed in oral traditions over time, this knowledge had been largely overlooked previously.
“For too long, our voices have been silenced, but this site speaks for us, proving that our roots run deep and unbroken,” Longjohn said.
Presently, the Âsowanânihk Council hopes to continue efforts to preserve the site alongside archaeologists from the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Calgary, and plans for the construction of a new interpretive center at the site have been put forward. Additional protective measures to ensure the site is not endangered by logging or other activities are also being undertaken.
For members of the Indigenous community like Longjohn, the site is more than just a window to Canada’s ancient history: it offers a direct connection to the ancestry of Canada’s First Nations residents.
“It carries the footsteps of our ancestors, their struggles, their triumphs, and their wisdom,” Longjohn said.
“Every stone, every artifact is a testament to their strength,” she added. “We are not just reclaiming history—we are reclaiming our rightful place in it.”
Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.