Harder Archaeological Site Protected Area

The heritage value of the Harder Archaeological Site Protected Area lies in the information it reveals regarding the Oxbow “culture,” which existed on the Northern Plains between about 3,000 and 5,000 years ago. Archaeological discoveries at the site included bone, mostly from butchered bison, stone tools, a hearth, smudge pits, and refuse piles of small bone fragments and stone chips. Discrete concentrations of these remains were interpreted as the floors of former dwellings, most likely skin tents. It is believed that the Harder site was a winter camp where people cooked and consumed bison that had been killed and butchered elsewhere, then transported to the campsite. Other camp activities inferred from the archaeological remains included stone tool repair and hide working. Using assumptions based on the number of butchered animals, the area of the dwelling floors and ethnographically known rates of meat consumption, it was estimated that approximately 50 people could have occupied the camp for about a month.

Source:

Province of Saskatchewan, The Parks Act, May 26, 1986.