Site KaPf-88; tent ring.

An archaeological survey and impact assessment was conducted on behalf of New Shoshoni Ventures Ltd. by Callum Thomson and Euan Thomson of Thomson Heritage Consultants, Calgary, and Morris Martin, Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Dettah.  The survey took place within New Shoshoni mineral claim blocks on the south side of the mouth of Drybones Bay, an area previously found to be quite densely populated with archaeological and recent sites demonstrating a long history of occupation and land use by Yellowknives Dene and other aboriginal groups.  The main focus of the 2005 survey was on terrain in the vicinity of 13 planned drill sites, half of which will be drilled though winter ice on Drybones Bay; most of the rest are on bedrock outcrops close to the shore of the bay.

Site KaPf-110; birchbark press.

Thirty-three new archaeological sites were found and recorded within the study area; these and 20 previously-recorded sites were assessed for potential impacts from exploration activities.  Most of the sites contained one or more boulder features such as tent rings, where people had camped, hide-drying rings where freshly-skinned moose or perhaps caribou hides had been stretched out to dry, birchbark presses where sheets of bark cut from nearby birch trees were flattened prior to use in making canoes, and hearths or fireplaces.  A few other sites contained quartz quarries where veins had clearly been exploited during the pre-contact period and where recognizable tools or tool fragments were sometimes found; scatters of other stone tool-making material such as mudstone and chert were found at several sites.  Little evidence was found of any previous disturbance of heritage resources in the New Shoshoni project area.  Four sites were identified that may require mitigation if exploration proceeds as planned, as each site is located within 100-150 m of proposed drill sites.

Canoe in reeds.

Mitigation measures proposed included detailed inspection of the affected drilling locations, development of site protection procedures such as placement of fences around sites, avoidance of exploration activities within 30 m of site boundaries, and modification of drilling methods, where necessary.  It was also suggested that New Shoshoni invite Yellowknives Dene elders and officials to inspect planned drill sites and review proposed mitigation strategies proposed for nearby archaeological sites.