1,600-Year-Old Untouched Meal Still in Roasting Pit Unearthed in Alberta

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient feast, still intact, in a 1,600-year-old roasting pit at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada. The exact contents of the meaty meal are yet to be determined but will be revealed following a detailed analysis.

CBC News reports that the finding was made at the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump on Blackfoot First Nation territory, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The buffalo jump was used for nearly 6,000 years by the indigenous peoples of the plains to kill buffalo by driving them off the 11 metre (36 foot) high cliff by dressing up as coyotes and wolves.

Main: Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump in Alberta (Roland Tanglao / Flickr). Inset: The entrance to the Buffalo Jump (public domain)

Archaeologists said the roasting pit was perfectly intact with a meal sealed inside. Earth ovens have been used in many civilizations around the world, and the presence of such cooking pits is a key sign of human settlement often sought by archaeologists.