The Oxbow Site (2,600 years ago to Historic Period).
The archaeological evidence suggests an increase in population about 2,500 to 3,000 years ago. This is reflected in the greater occurrence of archaeological sites. Earlier sites may have been lost to erosion or submersion, but it is probably during this period that linguistic groups who were to become the Micmac or Maliseet of today established themselves in the Maritimes. Archaeologists use the term Woodland to refer to the populations in eastern Canada and northeastern United States that appeared following the Archaic period.
One of the best documented archaeological sites in the Maritimes, the Oxbow site on the Miramichi River in northeastern New Brunswick, spans 2 600 years. This was primarily a fishing station, and was typical of the rich areas exploited seasonally by aboriginal people as part of the year round search for food and other resources. Located in a salmon fishing area, it would have been visited primarily when the salmon runs were at their peak. Today, the area is a Micmac reserve.
This illustration shows one of the major excavations at the Oxbow site. The layering effect in the wall profile was produced by camping floors, which were covered by sand during the spring river flooding. The dark layers consist of decomposed organic material such as plants, ash and charcoal from living areas and fires.
Courtesy: National Museum of Man, National Museums of Canada
