A view of the prehistory of the Ottawa-Carleton Region
by
J. Bruce Jamieson, Jean-Luc Pilon and Gordon D. Watson


When you think of the history of Ottawa, you think of Colonel By, the Rideau Canal, Jos Montferrand, Thomas D'Arcy McGee. This is but a small part of our history. The greatest part of the Ottawa's past lies below neatly manicured lawns, along roadways, along beaches, in farmers' fields, in bushlots and just maybe in your own backyard.

Preliminary research in the archives of the Archaeological Survey of Canada at the Canadian Museum of Civilization indicate that there is a sufficient amount of material relating to prehistoric and early historic sites in the Ottawa region to allow an inventory and preliminary analysis. Over thirty archaeological findspots are recorded for Carleton County alone. There are also a number of references to artifact finds located at the Chaudière Falls, and around the shores of Lake Deschênes and Lake des Chats to be found in old reports and newspaper articles.

Taken together, these sites serve as the basis for a much larger puzzle which has only a few surviving pieces. But they are enough to tell us that a fascinating story awaits those with the patience to seek it out.
Ancient Ottawa presents a brief outline of the prehistory of aboriginal peoples in the Ottawa region. It also provides information about the known archeological sites that are situated within the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton.

We invite you to look beyond the buildings and the monuments, and imagine a land and a people as they were for thousands of years.

To learn more about this page's background image as well as its creator, Greg Money, follow this link. 

This page was launched April 8, 1997 and updated December 6, 1997.
All right reserved © 1997 The Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society.