The Future of the Past

(view of the entrance to the Rideau Canal from the
Canadian Museum of Civilization today and in 1833)

Gathered over the past 150 years by avocational archaeologists and other individuals, the artifacts on display here provide a glimpse of the Ottawa Valley's rich and diverse past, which spans more than 8,000 years. However, there are considerable gaps in our knowledge of the region's ancient history because few sites have been studied.

Archaeologists look forward to the day when more information will become available from excavations carried out in the Valley. For some time now, regional governments have required that archaeological investigations be undertaken prior to major land development if an archaeological potential is thought to exist. These new regulations cannot reverse earlier losses of information, but they might lead to new insight into the region's ancient past.

Perhaps one day we will all better appreciate the lives of those who came before us and value the archaeological evidence left behind. This will give us a better understanding of our own place in history.

Return to the Kichi Sibi index page