MUNL Archaeology Department

07/14/2026

Dr. Barry Gaulton and PhD student Calum Brydon discuss about how climate change impact archaeological sites in NL.

At Ferryland, archaeologists are witnessing how more frequent storms and rising sea levels are threatening one of Newfoundland’s most significant 17th-century heritage sites. Without protective measures, an important part of this historic landscape could be underwater within the next 25 to 50 years.

Course des archéologues contre la montée des eaux à T.-N.-L. : leur travail est minutieux, mais le dérèglement climatique les pousse à augmenter la cadence.

06/26/2026

Our latest blog post is now live! 🌊⛏️

The 2026 field season at Turpin’s Island has officially come to an end! Join us as we look back on an incredible month of excavation, discoveries, and unforgettable moments in the field.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who followed along, supported the project, and helped make this season such a success. We couldn't have done it without you!
https://www.thecodroad.com/post/so-long-little-and-great-st-lawrence-mun-archaeology-wraps-up-another-successful-field-season

Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador Archaeological Society
Provincial Archaeology Office of Newfoundland and Labrador
Council for Northeast Historical Archaeology
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Memorial University
The Society for Historical Archaeology
Provincial Historic Sites - Newfoundland and Labrador
Shipwreck Preservation Society of Newfoundland and Labrador
Canadian Archaeological Association/Association Canadienne d'Archéologie

Week Four of Memorial University's 2026 Field School on Turpin’s Island, Little St. LawrenceJust before the summer equinox, Memorial University’s archaeology field school sadly departs the Burin Peninsula. This fourth and final week brought last-minute finds, a community engagement night, and a ...

06/17/2026

🧑‍🔬⛏️From lab tables to the landscapes of Turpin’s Island, Week Three has been packed with discovery! 🔍🏝️
Students spent time cleaning, cataloguing, and analyzing artifacts in the lab before returning to the field to continue excavations and investigate new features. Every artifact, soil layer, and stone feature helps piece together over 500 years of history on the island👇

Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador Archaeological Society
Council for Northeast Historical Archaeology
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Memorial University
Newfoundland and Labrador Archaeological Society
Heritage NL
Canadian Archaeological Association/Association Canadienne d'Archéologie

Week Three of Memorial University's 2026 Field School on Turpin’s Island, Little St. LawrenceWeek Three begins on Monday, June 8, 2026, with a busy laboratory day for all students. They begin the careful work of cleaning, sorting, preserving, and photographing each piece of Turpin’s Island's his...

06/12/2026

We’re halfway through the 2026 field season on Turpin’s Island! 🏝️⛏️ From exciting artefact discoveries and ongoing excavations to lab work and life in Little St. Lawrence, every day brings new insights into the island’s 500 years of history.

Read all about the latest finds and adventures from the field in our newest blog post! 👇

Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador Archaeological Society
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Memorial University
Council for Northeast Historical Archaeology
Provincial Archaeology Office of Newfoundland and Labrador
Heritage NL

Week Two of Memorial University's 2026 Field School on Turpin’s Island, Little St. LawrenceWe have now finished our second week at Turpin’s Island, which means we are halfway through the 2026 field season! Many of the students have completed their initial test pits; however, Test Pits 57, 58, an...

06/08/2026

🏺 Artifact of the Week: The Beauty of Breton Ceramics
A small ceramic sherd, a big story. This week's artifact highlights the connections between Newfoundland and Brittany through centuries of trade and daily life.
Read more about this fascinating find here 👇

One of our notable Artifacts of the Week from Turpin’s Island is a fragment of Breton coarse earthenware, which was found in Test Pit #59 during the first week of the 2026 field school! This small fragment originates from Brittany, a region in northwestern France that was pivotal in crewing and pr...

06/08/2026

Week 1 Blog - Rain couldn’t dampen the excitement at Turpin’s Island—kickoff season brought some seriously cool finds! 🌧️🏝️ Dive into the latest discoveries and muddy adventures from the field. Read about Memorial Archaeology field school first week on site here👇

Week One of Memorial University's 2026 Field School on Turpin’s Island, Little St. LawrenceThe Department of Archaeology at Memorial University has just wrapped up its first week at Turpin’s Island for the 2026 season. A team of students led by Dr. Catherine Losier was able to open five test pit...

05/22/2026

📣 The wait is over—the 2026 Turpin’s Island excavation season kicks off May 26! ⛏

Archaeologists from Memorial University are heading back to Little St. Lawrence to continue uncovering the incredible story of Turpin’s Island—one layer at a time. With over 500 years of history tied to the Atlantic cod fishery and global trade networks, every trowel scrape brings new insight into the lives of the people who shaped this place.
👀 Stay tuned for updates from the field—and if you’re nearby, don’t miss your chance to visit and see archaeology in action!

Memorial University, Newfoundland and Labrador
Provincial Historic Sites - Newfoundland and Labrador
Provincial Archaeology Office of Newfoundland and Labrador
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Memorial University
Newfoundland and Labrador Archaeological Society
The Society for Historical Archaeology
MUNArch (Memorial University of Newfoundland Archaeology Society)
Council for Northeast Historical Archaeology

Countdown to the start of Memorial University's 2026 Field School on Turpin’s Island in Little St. Lawrence!Returning this year with much anticipation, a new group of archaeology students from Memorial University will be continuing previous excavations on the Turpin’s Island site!! From May 25th...

01/13/2026

On December 31st, 2025 alumnus Roger Lewis (MA 2006) was appointed to the Order of Canada

The department is delighted to congratulate Roger Lewis, a former graduate student, on his appointment to the Order of Canada. A member of the Sɨkɨpne’katik First Nation and Keptin of the Grand Council of Mi'kmaq, Roger previously served as the Curator of Mi'kmaw Cultural Heritage at the Nova Scotia Museum and currently serves as Director of Consultation with the Sɨkɨpne’katik Governance Initiative.

This prestigious honour recognizes Roger’s outstanding contributions, dedication, and leadership in the preservation, interpretation, and promotion of Mi'kmaw archaeology and cultural heritage. Congratulations, Roger, on this exceptional achievement.