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Archaeology: Site reports

Search Tips

Finding site reports is challenging, since the term "site report" rarely appears in the title, and the term "site" is only used for some older materials. For example, you can search "Moyer Site," one of Laurier's first Ontario dig locations, and find a report from 1973.

Search for site reports in Omni. If you know the name of the site, try searching this first. Otherwise, the best way to find site reports is to try the following subject terms in the Omni advanced search:

  • Antiquities
    • Works on the antiquities of particular regions, countries, cities, and under individual ethnic groups are entered under the name of the place or group subdivided by Antiquities e.g. Egypt – Antiquities; Mayas – Antiquities.
  • Archaeology
    • This is a broad heading covering the study of archaeology as a branch of learning. Archaeology, like the term antiquities, can also be divided by regions, countries, cities and individual ethnic groups.
  • Excavations (Archaeology)
    • Excavations (Archaeology) is now the preferred subject term and replaces: Archaeological digs; Archaeological excavations; Digs (archaeology); Excavation sites (archaeology); Ruins; Sites, Excavation (archaeology)

Mercury Series

Found within the Government Documents Collections are a large number of publications known as the “Mercury Series” produced by federally funded institutions such as:

  • Archaeological Survey of Canada; Canadian Museum of Civilization; Canadian Ethnology Service; Canadian Centre for Folk Culture Studies; National Museum of Man (Canada). History Division; National Museum of Man (Canada). Ethnology Division

To access these documents, use the Omni advanced search:

  • change the first dropdown to "Title"
  • change the second dropdown to "is (exact)"
  • type: Mercury Series

Abstracts in Anthropology

Abstracts in Anthropology contains some basic site reports. Search functionality is limited to the abstract and title fields.

To access these documents:

  • browse subject headings for terms used to describe broad geographical areas
  • or, type 'site' in search box and browse list of results