Excavations prior to a road-building project in British Columbia, Canada, discovered a wetland-gardening site in Pitt Meadows. The site dates back to 1800 BC.

During construction works a rock platform measuring about 12-square metres made up of flat stones was unearthed. The structure would have rested a couple of metres underwater four millennia ago. The stones are layered in a pattern and packed densely, which was done intentionally. The scientists believe that the ancient inhabitants of the area used to engineer the wetland environment to increase the yield of a valuable, semi-aquatic plant known as a wapato – an important source of starch over the winter months.

Beside the structure more than 3700 pieces of plant material were recovered from the site, along with more than 150 fire-hardened tips of what are believed to have been digging tools. After the site is excavated and documented the structures will be paved over with a public road. The new site provides more insight into survival strategies of the ancient inhabitants of British Columbia.

(after The Province, CTV News & Katzie Development Limited Partnership)