Digging In 2.2: Archaeological Potential and Archaeological Resources In Ontario, provincial policy allows development or alteration to lands which have archaeological resources or are areas of archaeological potential only if a licensed professional archaeologist assesses such sites and significant archaeological resources are conserved. The province outlines criteria which the archaeologist uses to determine if an area has archaeological potential, meaning that the area is likely to contain some kind of archaeological resources. This potential can then be confirmed through the process of archaeological fieldwork, including excavation and mitigation. According to the provincial criteria, an area has archaeological potential if there are other archaeological sites nearby (within a 250m radius). It may also have potential if …show more content…
From this map we cannot tell certain things, like local knowledge of settlement, soil composition, or elevation. It does however show that during this time much of the university’s land was the University Park, and indicates that there was a good deal of tree coverage, suggesting a fairly resource-rich area. The map also shows several non-aboriginal settlement features, with at least five buildings, including the original University of Toronto building, depicted. It also shows historic transportation routes in the area, with the university land being dissected by Avenue road. The indicator which most clearly marks the university grounds as an area of archaeological potential, however, is the river which cuts right through the grounds. The presence of this water source, combined with other information which we cannot gain from this map (such as local knowledge of Indigenous occupation) suggests the U of T grounds do indeed have the potential to contain archaeological