You may think archaeology a dead subject in a modern North American metropolis such as Toronto. But in fact, archaeologists are still working to unearth ancient settlements and geographical features that have been blotted out by development.
Mima Kapches, a senior curator with the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), who spoke at a lecture organized by Toronto Field Naturalists last Sunday, revealed a face of Toronto that few would recognize. She also shattered some myths in the process.
For instance, the name “Toronto,” commonly believed to derive from the Huron saying for “meeting place,” is in fact Mohawk in origin. It means “sticks in the water.” Kapches also told how sometimes the skies above Toronto would have been darkened by flocks of passenger pigeons (now extinct), which are frequently found in archaeological digs around the city.
As a child, Kapches was very curious about Toronto’s past, namely what it must have been like here “pre-contact.” She started out by digging up her own back yard. Now a museum curator, Kapches has begun revealing more about the history of the First Nations in this region. She started aggregating knowledge from different collections of artifacts, such as copper and stone collections. This has led to the contextualizing of findings such as the copper axe and stone point found in the 20s near Bedford Avenue, dating from approximately 2000 BC. When combined, such findings are able to tell stories of Toronto over time.
Historically, there have been several migrations of aboriginals throughout Toronto and surrounding areas. These migrations were based upon the various water systems in the area, such as the Rouge River and Humber Creek. Well-known Iroquois villages include Teiaiagon, located where Baby Point is now, on the Humber River, and Ganatsekwyagon, located at the mouth of the Rouge River.
But that is not all that has been buried by the shifting sands of time. Up to six creeks once coursed through the built-up areas of downtown Toronto. These were buried in the middle of the nineteenth century, after newspapers complained of their stench and water quality. One of them, Taddle Creek, roughly followed the path of U of T’s Philosopher’s Walk.
A group of interested Toronto explorers are now rediscovering these long forgotten creeks and rivers that were buried for the sake of urban expansion. For instance, the Garrison Creek Ravine, which includes buried bridges, such as the one along Crawford Street, in Trinity Bellwoods Park. Since 1996, some members have been working on creating storm water management ponds and restoring the buried bridges as part of the revitalization of the Garrison Creek Ravine system.
Interested in pursuing a piece of Toronto’s history? Kapches advises amateur archeologists to take a field course, to learn proper techniques while developing an understanding and respect for the laws. A great source of information is the department of anthropology, right here on campus.
