Papers by Brent Suttie
This report analyses the known distribution of archaeological sites in the Gippsland Lakes region... more This report analyses the known distribution of archaeological sites in the Gippsland Lakes region, and develops a GIS-based predictive model on the impacts of predicted sea level rises and other disturbances to GunaiKurnai cultural places in the study region.
The Route 1 Gateway Project is a Private Public Partnership (P3) between Dexter Developer General... more The Route 1 Gateway Project is a Private Public Partnership (P3) between Dexter Developer General Partnership (DDGP) and the Province of New Brunswick through its agent the New Brunswick Highway Corporation (NBHC). The Project includes the Design, Build, and Finance, Operation, Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Route 1 from the US Border at St. Stephen to River Glade along the south coast of New Brunswick. Work includes the construction of 55 km of new four-lane highway and selected upgrades to 180 km of existing sections of Route 1. The Route 1 Gateway Project has numerous environmental challenges including crossing through three public potable water supplies (involving both Watershed Protected Areas and Wellfield Protected Areas), approximately 100 watercourses (several with multiple crossings) and about 85 wetlands, several locations with species of special concern, known heritage resource (archaeological) locations, and numerous other environmental aspects as identified in the e...
This report analyses the known distribution of archaeological sites in the Gippsland Lakes region... more This report analyses the known distribution of archaeological sites in the Gippsland Lakes region, and develops a GIS-based predictive model on the impacts of predicted sea level rises and other disturbances to GunaiKurnai cultural places in the study region.
Canadian Archaeological Association Newsletter Vol. 31 Issue 1, 2013
During a 19-week period (July 14 – December 8, 2011), the authors undertook a research and mitiga... more During a 19-week period (July 14 – December 8, 2011), the authors undertook a research and mitigation project on four Pre-Contact archaeological sites in the vicinity of Pennfield, in southwestern New Brunswick (NB). Prior work in the area had identified a group of four artifacts on a site later designated BgDq-38 (AMEC 2011). The following year consulting archaeologists identified two additional areas of artifact concentrations designated BgDq-39 and BgDp-4 (Stantec 2010). A fourth site (BgDq-40) was identified when a single flake was recovered during testing of a large terrace along a small stream (Figure 1). These sites range in date from the Paleoindian to the Late Maritime Woodland periods, with the Paleoindian sites being the first in situ deposits to be identified in NB (Suttie & Nicholas 2012).
This poster reports the integrated approach employed by the authors to assess a 19th century fort... more This poster reports the integrated approach employed by the authors to assess a 19th century fortification located in the municipality of St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada, and how the results of this assessment were employed to develop constraint mapping for a Site Management Plan, being developed with the current land owner. The poster also summarizes the history of the site and the results of the archaeological assessment.
This poster reports the integrated approach employed by the authors to assess a large archaeologi... more This poster reports the integrated approach employed by the authors to assess a large archaeological site located in the municipality of Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick, Canada, and how the results of this assessment were employed to develop constraint mapping for a Site Management Plan, being developed with the local Town Council. The poster also summarizes the over 80 years of archaeological research conducted on this large and important site from Central New Brunswick, Canada.
"This poster summarizes the results of a project developed to assess existing Archaeological Pred... more "This poster summarizes the results of a project developed to assess existing Archaeological Predictive Models for use in identiying areas of elevated potential for encountering unrecorded archaeological resources in New Brunswick, Canada. The research is the first step in developing a series of localized predictive models for each of New Brunswick distinct eco-regions.
As a result of this research, the then-current Archaeological Predictive Model for New Brunswick was modified to reflect the results of the Sevogle test plot and this model was enacted in 2009. Finally, the paper summarizes the actual results of this model being in effect between April 2009 and April of 2011. The model has resulted in 25% of all newly recorded sites being found in areas not previously deemed to hold elevated potential. "
This paper represents a detailed study of Maritime Woodland period ground stone tools recovered f... more This paper represents a detailed study of Maritime Woodland period ground stone tools recovered from the Oxbow Site (CfDl-1) in Northeastern New Brunswick, Canada. The results of this analysis produced evidence of seed processing, native copper processing, pigment processing and evidence of increased sedentism between 2200-1600 BP. The analysis also identified trends in changing artifact morphologies and lithic resource use over time.
This manuscript summarizes the results of three archaeological surveys conducted by the Archaeolo... more This manuscript summarizes the results of three archaeological surveys conducted by the Archaeological Services Unit of New Brunswick between 2002 and 2004. All three projects focused on sections of river drainages within the Province. A total of four archaeological sites were recorded during the Lower Nashwaak River survey, which covered a 34 km length of the river between Nashwaak Bridge and Marysville. The second survey focused on a 21 km section of the Big Tracadie River within the former Tracadie Range property, in which 22 archaeological sites were recorded. The Magaguadavic River survey was conducted on a 13 km section of the river between Pomeroy and Lee Settlement, resulting in the recording of 14 archaeological sites.
Internal Research Report on a 19th century Acadian aboiteau investigated near Caraquet, NB.
Predicting the location of previously unrecorded precontact archaeological sites is a complex and... more Predicting the location of previously unrecorded precontact archaeological sites is a complex and enigmatic pursuit. A look at the locations of recorded archaeological sites shows pronounced regional variation even within a modem-day political entity such as the province of New Brunswick. In recognition of this diversity in site locations, the concept of developing a series of localized models to predict archaeological site locations based within a set of distinct biophysical zones within the province arose. In 2006 and 2007 a research project was undertaken in one such zone to begin to assess both the validity of the current predictive model used by the province and also to establish a localized model for the interior of northeastern New Brunswick. This paper presents a summary ofthe results of this research project and provides a discussion of the implications of this model on the current methods used to detect the presence of precontact archaeological sites within New Brunswick.
Between August 6 and August 17, 1883, excavations were conducted on a coastal shell midden in Sou... more Between August 6 and August 17, 1883, excavations were conducted on a coastal shell midden in Southwestern New Brunswick under the direction of George Matthew of Saint John, NB. The excavations targeted three perceived house features nearest the front of the midden (immediately behind the shoreline). Matthew’s crew recovered a large volume of cultural material, the context for most of which he recorded in his field journal which has recently been relocated in the Archives of the New Brunswick Museum. A portion of the material excavated in 1883 is extant in the collections of Archaeological Services/New Brunswick Museum in Fredericton. Some work has been conducted by professional archaeologists on this collection (Bishop 1980; Turnbull Unpublished), but it seems that these assessments did not have access to Matthew’s field notes, believing that his “original field notes became the property of other society members and were eventually destroyed” (Bishop 1980:4). The field notes provide more contextual detail than that laid out by Matthew in his published account of the excavation (1884). This report is intended as a discussion of a single shark tooth recovered by Matthew from these excavations.
ABSTRACT
The Archaic period occupation of New Brunswick (9000-3000 B.P.) has been inadequately re... more ABSTRACT
The Archaic period occupation of New Brunswick (9000-3000 B.P.) has been inadequately researched and poorly understood in the past. This thesis presents interpretations of Archaic period human habitation sites in the Lake Utopia/Mill Lake
area of southwestern New Brunswick. The artifact assemblage from the Mill Lake Bluff site (BhDq8) is attributed to the Middle Archaic period, dating to ca. 6100 B.P. (ca. 7000 Cal B.P.), and is interpreted as an expression of the quartz core and uniface technology recently identified in the Northeast. The Mill Lake Island site (BhDq5) is interpreted as an early Late Archaic period (Vergennes phase-related) occupation dating to ca. 5300
B.P. (ca. 6100 Cal B.P.). These sites, and additional Archaic period sites and artifacts reported in the thesis, substantiate recent refutations of the idea, current in the Maritimes
archaeological literature as recently as the early 1990s, of a regional human depopulation during the Early Holocene (9000-5000 B.P.).
Conference Presentations by Brent Suttie
New technologies are often viewed with considerable skepticism as passing fads or meaningless eye... more New technologies are often viewed with considerable skepticism as passing fads or meaningless eye-candy. Developments in the field of photographic and laser-based capturing of 3D data have brought these abilities within the reach of all researchers. Here we present actual applications of these technologies in field surveys, excavations, laboratory analysis and enhanced artifact interpretation by the authors on research projects in Canada and Belize. We argue that rather than a passing fad - some of these technologies should be ubiquitous for all researchers given the pronounced benefits of low-cost data collection which can be accurately recreated in 3D for future interpretation and presentation.
In New Brunswick, the provincial regulatory unit Archaeological Services uses a predictive model ... more In New Brunswick, the provincial regulatory unit Archaeological Services uses a predictive model to frame archaeological impact assessments within the jurisdiction. This model identifies areas of predicted and known resources as an aid to developers and researchers. Recently, Archaeological Services has supplemented the archaeological predictive model with the inclusion of a series of datasets derived from historical sources. Here we describe these sources and present a case study on how they have been integrated into New Brunswick’s Archaeological Predictive Model and where we intend to expand the datasets in the future.
In 2011, a large-scale research and mitigation project associated with highway construction was u... more In 2011, a large-scale research and mitigation project associated with highway construction was undertaken in southwestern New Brunswick by the provincial Archaeological Unit. The importance of the archaeological sites as well as construction scheduling constraints prompted archaeologists to integrate a streamlined workflow management plan that included new methodological and technological practices into existing excavation strategies. This created significant cost and time efficiencies, enhanced data collection methods and better overall management, and the ability to gather new types of data. This presentation discusses the application of this streamlined workflow management plan to the excavation of four Pre-Contact archaeological sites in southwestern New Brunswick, some successes of the approach, and future implications.
Since 2009, Archaeological Services - New Brunswick's archaeological regulatory body - has employ... more Since 2009, Archaeological Services - New Brunswick's archaeological regulatory body - has employed a GIS-based Archaeological Predictive Model as a planning tool for developers and to scope Archaeological Impact Assessments in the province. This planning tool was developed based on a series of statistical probabilities derived from an analysis of known sites. The existing site data were augmented with information derived from targeted field testing projects throughout New Brunswick. The end result of the implementation of this planning tool has resulted in 29% of the Pre-Contact sites found since 2009 being located in areas not previously assessed during Archaeological Impact Assessments. Here we present the planning tool, discuss its implementation and some of the successes, as well as issues and limitations encountered in this approach.
In the Fall of 2013, a large construction project in the West End of Fredericton revealed a 5m de... more In the Fall of 2013, a large construction project in the West End of Fredericton revealed a 5m deep profile which tells a compelling story about the last 12,000 years of the history of what is now Fredericton, NB. From a flooded forest which may be related to global flooding events around 8500 years ago - to evidence of early French, Acadian, English Planter, Loyalist and Euro-Canadian occupations.
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Papers by Brent Suttie
As a result of this research, the then-current Archaeological Predictive Model for New Brunswick was modified to reflect the results of the Sevogle test plot and this model was enacted in 2009. Finally, the paper summarizes the actual results of this model being in effect between April 2009 and April of 2011. The model has resulted in 25% of all newly recorded sites being found in areas not previously deemed to hold elevated potential. "
The Archaic period occupation of New Brunswick (9000-3000 B.P.) has been inadequately researched and poorly understood in the past. This thesis presents interpretations of Archaic period human habitation sites in the Lake Utopia/Mill Lake
area of southwestern New Brunswick. The artifact assemblage from the Mill Lake Bluff site (BhDq8) is attributed to the Middle Archaic period, dating to ca. 6100 B.P. (ca. 7000 Cal B.P.), and is interpreted as an expression of the quartz core and uniface technology recently identified in the Northeast. The Mill Lake Island site (BhDq5) is interpreted as an early Late Archaic period (Vergennes phase-related) occupation dating to ca. 5300
B.P. (ca. 6100 Cal B.P.). These sites, and additional Archaic period sites and artifacts reported in the thesis, substantiate recent refutations of the idea, current in the Maritimes
archaeological literature as recently as the early 1990s, of a regional human depopulation during the Early Holocene (9000-5000 B.P.).
Conference Presentations by Brent Suttie
As a result of this research, the then-current Archaeological Predictive Model for New Brunswick was modified to reflect the results of the Sevogle test plot and this model was enacted in 2009. Finally, the paper summarizes the actual results of this model being in effect between April 2009 and April of 2011. The model has resulted in 25% of all newly recorded sites being found in areas not previously deemed to hold elevated potential. "
The Archaic period occupation of New Brunswick (9000-3000 B.P.) has been inadequately researched and poorly understood in the past. This thesis presents interpretations of Archaic period human habitation sites in the Lake Utopia/Mill Lake
area of southwestern New Brunswick. The artifact assemblage from the Mill Lake Bluff site (BhDq8) is attributed to the Middle Archaic period, dating to ca. 6100 B.P. (ca. 7000 Cal B.P.), and is interpreted as an expression of the quartz core and uniface technology recently identified in the Northeast. The Mill Lake Island site (BhDq5) is interpreted as an early Late Archaic period (Vergennes phase-related) occupation dating to ca. 5300
B.P. (ca. 6100 Cal B.P.). These sites, and additional Archaic period sites and artifacts reported in the thesis, substantiate recent refutations of the idea, current in the Maritimes
archaeological literature as recently as the early 1990s, of a regional human depopulation during the Early Holocene (9000-5000 B.P.).