Researchers have uncovered various remains at the small 2000-year-old enclosure at the Groswater site near Bass Pond, Port au Choix, in Canada’s Newfoundland.

According to archaeologists the site found on the Point Riche Peninsula was occupied from 2800 to 2000 years ago. The people living there were known to be seal hunters. Experts took samples from the Bass Pond to assess whether these people had any impact on the pond ecology, and look into the long ecological history of the region as a whole. So far archaeologists determined that the site represents a small camp where people were making stone tools and using them to cut skins for clothing. At this point it is very unlikely that they hunted from this site as there’s no view of the ocean, which would have prevented the Groswater people from monitoring for seals, and no suitable beach near the site for landing game on shore.

The researchers experienced some difficulties with studying the site as the soil is waterlogged and test trenches quickly fill up with water. They had to use containers and large sponges to remove water from the test pits, to avoid damaging the site, keeping it relatively intact for future research.

(after Patricia Wells & Northern Pen)