{"id":2149,"date":"2010-12-29T10:24:02","date_gmt":"2010-12-29T17:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/banffnationalpark.com\/?p=2149"},"modified":"2023-05-02T15:34:03","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T15:34:03","slug":"archeological-sites-banff-national-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/banffnationalpark.com\/banff-activities\/banff-museums\/archeological-sites-banff-national-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Archeology in Banff National Park"},"content":{"rendered":"

Archeological Record Reveals People Have Lived in the Canadian Rockies for Thousands of Years<\/h1>\n

In a very real sense, Banff National Park is one huge museum. Think about it: not only has it been set aside because of its natural beauty and sensitive ecology, but to preserve the history of the region.<\/p>\n

Humans have been enjoying the natural beauty and bounty of the land encompassed by Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies for more than 10,000 years. For millenia people have been living in and traversing the valleys, passes and high alpine areas of Banff National Park — from the First Nations peoples to its current residents today.<\/p>\n

There are hundreds of archaeological sites scattered throughout the scenic acres that comprise the park, including 416 aboriginal sites and 309 historic sites (17 sites have both components), according to Parks Canada. Most of these are in the main river valleys, but traces of prehistoric occupation have been found throughout the Park, including the high alpine areas.<\/p>\n

What makes a site an archeological site? By definition it is a place where past human activity has left physical traces. These traces can be artifacts, such as arrowheads or other tools; traces left by food processing such as butchered animal bones; or they can be features, such as hearths or historic structures.<\/p>\n

Examples of historic sites in Banff National Park include:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Arrowheads<\/a><\/p>\n