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Before it was Shutters Spa development, this site was the Old Songhees Village, established in 1844 when the Songhees people were asked to relocate from the Inner Harbour. When construction began the discovery of a bone awl thought to date pre-1846, the limit of protection granted to BC archaeology, allowed the excavation of over 5,000 artifacts.
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Before Esquimalt Harbour was a naval port, it was a food resource for the ancestors of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nation peoples. The bay was used by First Nations for its marine life, but settlers were interested in the potential of the deep sea harbour. During the dredging to remove industrial contamination, artifacts were found from both groups.
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The practice of twisting fiber strands together to make cordage is, arguably, one of the most ancient of technologies. Before machines, human hands turned cordage into items ranging from simple bow strings to elaborate fishing nets. For people living on B.C. coasts, who depended on the ocean for food, cordage would have been essential for survival.
By Liz Crocker
Illustration from the Royal BC Museum archaeology gallery of antler wedges and a stone hand maul being used for woodworking.
By Liz Crocker
This paddle is from the Royal BC Museum Ethnology collection. View the object in the collection here:
By Liz Crocker
This image is from the BC Archives. Learn more about the image here: <http://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/spinning-wool-for-cowichan-indian-sweaters>
By Liz Crocker
This image is from the BC Archives. Learn more about the image here: <http://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/kickwilli-hules-1907-inside-of-pit-house> .
By Liz Crocker
This image is from BC Archives. Learn more about the image here: <http://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/raising-totem-pole-at-masset>