Charlie Lake Cave facts for kids
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Tse'KWa
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 Location in British Columbia
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| Alternative name | HbRf 39 |
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| Location | British Columbia |
| Coordinates | 56°16′22″N 120°56′39″W / 56.27278°N 120.94417°W |
The Charlie Lake Cave, also known as Tse'KWa, is a very old archaeological site in British Columbia, Canada. It's famous because scientists found amazing artifacts here that are up to 10,500 years old! These finds include the oldest signs of special ceremonies or rituals ever found in Canada. The cave is located near Charlie Lake, a few kilometers north of Fort St. John.
Contents
Discovering Charlie Lake Cave
Scientists didn't find many artifacts inside the cave itself. The cave is about 4.5 by 6 meters (15 by 20 feet) big. But right in front of the cave entrance, there was a sort of ancient "trash pit." This pit held many important items.
What Was Found?
The items found in this pit are up to 11,000 years old. They include a special type of stone tool called a fluted point. There were also six small stone flakes that had been carefully shaped. A tiny bone bead was also discovered.
These findings tell us a lot about how people and animals moved around long ago. They show that ancient hunters and bison traveled north into this area.
Oldest Rituals in Canada
One of the most exciting discoveries was two buried ravens. These raven remains are the oldest evidence of rituals or special ceremonies ever found in Canada. This suggests that the people living here thousands of years ago had unique beliefs and practices.
Exploring the Site
A scientist named Knut R. Fladmark first studied the Charlie Lake Cave site in 1974. He came back to do more work in 1983. During these excavations, his team dug up many ancient stone tools. They also found bones from animals that lived a very long time ago.
Layers of History
The digging showed that the different layers of soil were still perfectly in place. This was very important for scientists. It meant they could study the site's history layer by layer. The oldest layer contained bones from very large, ancient animals. These animals are now extinct.
This first excavation helped scientists understand five different time periods at the site. Each layer told a story about the past.
