Saskatchewan Archaeological Society
The Saskatchewan Archaeological Society (SAS), founded in 1963, is one of the most active and effective volunteer-based archaeological organizations on the continent. We educate the public, promote research and advocate for heritage preservation and protection. Our members include professional archaeologists, avocational archaeologists and members of the general public that are curious about our province's first peoples and other cultures.
What does the SAS do?
- Offers all ages fieldschools, hands-on workshops, annual meeting and conference, annual bus tour, special tours and regional chapters across the province.
- Offers teaching and educational resources such as artefact replicas, "archaeo-kits", "Kiwetinohk"
- travelling rock art exhibit, videos, an extensive library of books, journals, theses, maps and photos, a quaterly newsletter on archaeology, history, natural history, geology and palaeontology news and publications for sale.
- Provides funding to individuals or groups for research projects and the annual Zenon Pohorecky Memorial Bursary to university students.
How do I join?
Contact the SAS!
#1-1730 Quebec Avenue
Saskatoon, SK S7K 1V9
Ph: (306) 664-4124
Fax: (306) 665-1928
Email: saskarchsoc@sasktel.net
Web: www.saskarchsoc.ca
During 2013, the SAS celebrated its 50th Anniversary of the Annual Gathering and are placing a number of geocaches at archaeological and historically significant sites throughout the province.
SAS#24: Pipestone Creek
Pipestone Creek flows into Oak Lake, Manitoba and is part of the Souris River Basin. Nearby the cache location, you can see Pipestone Lake to the west, a naturally-formed lake but one that has increased in size due to a dam project in 1939 by the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration in order to provide water for livestock downstream.
Pipestone Creek is a translation of two words; the Cree word ospwâkanasiniy (“pipestone”) and the Nakota word, įyą čanumba wapta (“pipestone creek”). Both are based on the type of rock that can be found in the banks of the creek that were used to make pipes by groups in the past.
Not a lot has been written about pipes in the archaeological record of the Northern or Canadian Plains. In fact, finding pre-contact period pipes tends to be a rarity. When it comes to the Contact period (or after European arrival) the recovery of pipes and pipe pieces becomes more common especially in fur trade posts. Stone pipes are present in the archaeological record of Saskatchewan. The raw rock material found along Pipestone Creek would have contributed to their production in the past. Typically, archaeologists find pipes and fragments of pipes in pre-contact burial contexts. Three pipes were found in the Moose Bay Burial Mound in southeastern Saskatchewan. These stone pipes were rather plain in appearance, and tubular in shape. However, incised stone pipes have been found as well. Wilson and Pendree (1986) describe a number of artifacts with incised designs on them including a thunderbird motif. They, along with Syms (1979) classify this style of pipes as being part of the Devils Lake-Sourisford Burial Complex, a late pre-contact period cultural phase dating between AD 900-1500.
The Creek name also lends itself to the name of one of our 9 chapters, the Pipestone Archaeological Society. This Society is made up of members of the general public and avocational archaeologists who have a vested interest in the archaeology of the southeastern portion of the province. The members hold meetings, record archaeological sites and focus on issues relating to archaeological conservation in the area whether it is from development or environmental degradation. They have a strong core belief in protecting and preserving archaeological sites by working with landowners, development firms and local First Nation and Métis groups.
References:
Barry, Bill
2005 Geographic Names of Saskatchewan. People Places Publishing Ltd: Regina.
Lewis, Keith
2014 Pipestone Archaeological Society. In Sifting Through Time: A History of the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society, B. Riehl-Fitzsimmons, F. McDougall and T. Cyr-Steenkamp (editors), pp.22. Saskatchewan Archaeological Society: Saskatoon.
Syms, L.
1979 The Devils Lake-Sourisford Burial Complex. Plains Anthropologist 24:283-308.
Wilson, James S. and Elaine Pendree
1984 Further Tubular Pipes from the Northern Plains Periphery. Plains Anthropologist 29(106):339-341.