Projectile points from diverse eras of history: exciting finds during a field trip to âsowanânihk
- Jun 11
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 29
by USask MA Student Isabella Palamaruk
From June 1st to 5th, 2026, about 250-300 youth from Kahkewistahaw First Nation, Carlton Comprehensive High School, Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation, Eagles Nest Youth Ranch, Valley Hill Youth Treatment Centre, Métis Nation, Wild Rose Public School, and others, got to take a break from their regular studies and visit the archaeology site of âsowanânihk!
Over the course of the week, the students found hundreds of lithic (stone tool) cultural belongings and faunal remains (animal bones), including three complete projectile points (commonly, though inaccurately, referred to as arrow heads) that will aid in our understanding of the occupation and re-occupation of âsowanânihk over thousands of years.
Projectile points are exciting finds because they allow archaeologists to date a site based on the form and style of the tool, as the appearance of projectile points changed over time. The first point that was found this week was a Duncan point discovered by Piper Baldhead, an 11-year-old student from Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation. The moment sparked much excitement among the other youth visiting as well as the researchers on site! (Read more at the CBC story here). The following day, the second point, a Plains Side Notched, was found by Nick Charpentier, representing Métis Nation - Saskatchewan. The third was a Hanna point found on the last day by MA student Isabella Palamaruk, who will be doing the lithic analysis of the stone tools from âsowanânihk at the University of Saskatchewan.
While they do not tell the whole story of when people lived at âsowanânihk, the Duncan and Hanna points confirm people were living at the site sometime between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago, while the third reveals a much more recent habitation sometime between 500 to 200 years ago. Our earlier research indicated that the site was first occupied over 10,000 years ago, but while it was clear that people came back to the site after that, we had little information as to when and how often they returned. Thanks to the finding of these projectile points by Piper, Nick, and Isabella, we now know that some of those occupations were thousands of years ago, and others were much more recent. As âsowanânihk continues to share its information with us, the story will continue to grow.
All in all, a very exciting week with lots of involvement from the local communities! We are grateful to everyone who contributed their time, ideas, and enthusiasm to make the visits to âsowanânihk such a success. We look forward to strengthening our connections and continuing to learn from the site.
