The construction site around Craigflower bridge where two sets of human remains were found this week is well-known First Nations archeology site.
Saanich and View Royal were prepared for the possibility of discovering culturally significant material on the land that will soon house a jointly owned replacement bridge, and sought out an archaeological monitor for the land before work even began.
B次元官网网址淭he areaB次元官网网址檚 middens are known to contain human remains and the monitor will ensure that the terms of the permit are met should human remains be found,B次元官网网址� reads a request for proposals from the municipalities issued last month.
On Monday, crews from B.C. Hydro were excavating by hand between the Craigflower elementary property and the sidewalk on Admirals Road to prepare for the installation of temporary power poles, when they encountered human remains, said Jim Hemstock, SaanichB次元官网网址檚 manager of capital works.
B次元官网网址淭hey had an archaeologist on site monitoring things. They also had a First Nations monitor,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he lead on this now is First Nations. We consult with the elders and we really follow their direction.B次元官网网址�
Grant Keddie, curator of archaeology at the Royal B.C. Museum, said thereB次元官网网址檚 evidence First Nations occupied that site as long as 2,800 years ago.
B次元官网网址淚t appears that a part of the site was occupied very early on, and then (1,600 years) later a larger portion of the site was used,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t certainly wasnB次元官网网址檛 occupied continuously, but it was occupied at different time periods.B次元官网网址�
A midden, in archaeological terms, is a site where animal bones and shells are found in heaps, indicating that area was B次元官网网址� at some point in history B次元官网网址� occupied by humans.
B次元官网网址淧ractically with all these shell middens, people are buried behind the village or in an abandoned area, so the vast majority of these large middens are expected to have human remains in them,B次元官网网址� Keddie said.
Saanich and View Royal are now working with the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations, ancestors of the people who inhabited the area, on the next steps.
This discovery, Hemstock said, hasnB次元官网网址檛 changed the bridge project timeline. It actually expedited more thorough testing of the surrounding land.
The possibility remains, he said, of finding more bones.
B次元官网网址淯ntil we know entirely whatB次元官网网址檚 there, itB次元官网网址檚 hard to predict B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 why weB次元官网网址檙e starting this work early,B次元官网网址� Hemstock said. B次元官网网址淲e were prepared for this.B次元官网网址�
Construction on the new Craigflower Bridge is expected to begin in April and is slated to last six months.
The 80-year-old, timber-beam span will be replaced by a three-lane steel bridge, double the width of the existing bridge, at an estimated cost of $11.9 million.
kslavin@saanichnews.com
