Back to the Bay: Turpin’s Island Excavations Begin June 24th, 2025

Countdown to the start of Memorial University's 2025 Field School on Turpin’s Island in Little St. Lawrence!

Don't hesitate to come visit the site!

Archaeologists from Memorial University are sharpening their trowels and getting ready for their return to Turpin’s Island! Excavations are set to begin on June 24th, 2025. We’re excited to reconnect with friends from past seasons in Little and Great St. Lawrence, as well as with the St. Lawrence Historic Advisory Committee and the Town of St. Lawrence. A big thank-you also goes out to the people of 'Joe Harbour' for hosting us again this summer!

A brand-new group of students—along with a few returning graduate students—will be building on the immense success of the work previously carried out on Turpin’s Island. The research conducted so far has uncovered artifacts and features that both corroborate existing knowledge of the island’s history and recover new information about the daily lives of fisherfolk over five centuries.

Students are already hard at work learning everything they need to know before going on the site. They are also preparing this year brochure, a storyboard, and this blog post!

Here is a sneak peek of the storyboard!

Participation in the field school will allow students to gain experience in archaeological techniques and procedures, and it is our hope to broaden the historical knowledge of Turpin’s Island, and the Chapeau Rouge region. This year we will continue the test pits to better understand some features and sectors of the site. In addition, we will investigate a sector in which French artefacts were found in great numbers and a building that is believed to be associated with the Newman & Co. occupation of the site.

Sectors to be investigated in 2025

This year, we have a diverse group of students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences—meet the team!

Adam is an archaeology student at MUN, and is a local of the peninsula, hailing from Garnish some 40 odd kilometers away. He is ecstatic to be digging so close to home, and is looking forward to hopefully seeing some familiar faces from the community on Turpin’s Island, and to contribute to the exploration of the incredible history of one of the peninsula’s hidden gems.

Brendan is a retired Naval Officer who has returned home to complete the degree he started many years ago. With a profound love of the sea and Newfoundland culture, he is excited to work on Turpin’s Island and discover the rich history of early explorers, fisherfolk, and entrepreneurs who contributed to our hearty and enduring heritage. With a Bachelors degree in Irish Studies, he is hoping to discover and investigate Irish connections and influence on the Burin Peninsula, so please come chat with him and tell him your stories. He loves dogs, music, and good conversations.

Clarke is an undergraduate student at Memorial University pursuing a major in Archaeology and a minor in Biology. Hailing from the remote islands of Haida Gwaii in British Columbia, he is excited to be spending his first summer in Newfoundland on the Burin Peninsula and plans to get in as much surfing, hiking, photography, and drone flying as possible.

James is a third year undergraduate student at the departments of Archeology, Geography, and Earth Sciences at Memorial university of Newfoundland and Labrador. I’m a Newfoundlander born and bred and I grew up in the small town of Dildo in Trinity Bay. I am very excited to be attending my first field school on a real archeological site! I hope to be able to learn how to tie together field methods from my other disciplines into archaeology.

Mark is a Memorial student working towards an undergraduate degree in Archaeology. Originally from Toronto, he is now back in the province his family hails from, and could not be happier. He is looking forward to meeting the locals and uncovering the lost history of St. Lawrence.

Maya is an undergraduate of archaeology at Memorial University. I am a student participating in this field school. This is my first archaeological fieldwork experience and I am excited to be part of this team! I am interested in growing my understanding and experience of field methods and curious what we will discover with this site!

Raphaëlle is a second year undergraduate student at the Department of Anthropology of Université de Montréal. I am passionate about everything related to maritime history and archeology, which is why I registered to Turpin’s Island field school. I am looking forward to realize my first field experience this summer in Newfoundland, and to learn all about the cultural heritage of this beautiful region ! I can’t wait to meet everyone ! 

Rosalie is a third-year undergraduate student at Université de Montréal’s Anthropology department. A big fan of archaeology, history and hiking, she is beyond happy to be attending her very first field school on Turpin’s Island. She is looking forward to developing her skills, enjoying the Newfoundland sights and (finally) meeting the team in person!

Sanaa is a Syrian - Canadian student who’s aiming for Social Work Program at Memorial University. She speaks almost three languages, Arabic, English, and very basic French.

Sam is a Bachelor's student who is Majoring in Archaeology while minoring in psychology. He is a native to the town of Logy Bay, Newfoundland, which is located right on the edge of St. John’s. He is excited to be joining the excavation on Turpin’s Island this year to explore the early histories of settlement and life in Newfoundland.

The grad students:

Anna is a MA student at the Department of Archaeology at Memorial University researching African enslavement in Newfoundland and Saint-Pierre et Miquelon. I am one of the TAs for the field school and ecstatic to join the team and apply myself! This will be my first summer in Newfoundland and I look forward to continually learning more about provincial archaeology and enjoying the natural beauty.

Cassy is a graduate student at Memorial University studying Archaeology and one of the TAs for Turpin’s Island field school again this year. For my master thesis, I am researching the paleoenvironment of Turpin's Island through the study of pollen and archives. I was born and raised in Newfoundland, and I love hiking, camping, painting, reading, and going on adventures with my family and my chihuahua, Indiana Bones. Can’t wait to see you this summer!

Kayla is a MA student at the Department of Archaeology at Memorial University and one of the TAs for the Turpin's Island archaeology field school. I am delighted to return to Little St. Lawrence for the second year of excavations; in my spare time, I will be hiking, using my telescope and having lunch at The Lunch Tin Café!

Valentin is a PhD student at the Department of Archaeology at Memorial University. I am one of the teaching assistant, and I was already part of the 2024 team. French student proudly adopted by Newfoundland, I am becoming a true Terre-Neuva, migrating seasonally across the Atlantic. Come visit us, and you’ll see me with my yellow GPS robot zigzagging on the site! Occasionally, I can cook when needed (edit from Catherine, Kayla and Cassy: we are expecting your spaghetti sauce this year again! 🙂). Can’t wait to see you this summer!

and finally... the boss!

Catherine is an Associate Professor at the Department of Archaeology at Memorial University and the leader of Turpin’s island archaeology team since 2023. Not only does she love the archaeology and history of both Little and Great St. Lawrence, and Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, but she also hits the waves with enthusiasm (but no real talent!) at Shoal Cove Beach (my board is waxed and ready to go!). I’m thrilled to be back and can’t wait to see you all this summer!

In addition to the students participating in the field school, students from ARCH-2583: Applied Archaeology contributed to writing this blog, preparing the brochure, and creating the storyboard. Thank you all for your hard work!

Alannah is in her final year of Archaeology and Anthropology at Memorial. She will not be attending the field school, but is happy to have been a supporting member of the team, and wishes everyone a safe and exciting season!

David is currently studying at Memorial University, majoring in Communications & Media Studies and minoring in Archaeology. He is interested in how past peoples are represented in media, and how archaeology can be used to create more accurate depictions on screen and tell better stories of those who came before. While he is unable to participate in the field school this year, he will be cheering on his classmates and professor from afar! 

Gary is a Memorial University undergraduate student, majoring in archaeology and minoring in history. His area of study is centered on Newfoundland and Labrador colonial period military history.  He is currently focussed on discovering the forts that Captain Willliam Holman constructed during his defence of Ferryland in 1694. Though he will not be joining the field school team on Turpin's Island, he is looking forward to learning of the fantastic work they will accomplish this summer.

Luka is a townie who loves Newfoundland history and enjoyed researching about the Turpin’s Island project in preparation for the excavation season. Though he is regretfully not a part of the Field School this summer, who knows what future seasons will bring?

Authors: Alannah Dejong, Adam Farrell, Samuel Gregory, Gary Kett, Sanaa Mrad, David Paull, Luka Philips, Brendan Ryan, Clarke Simonsen, Mark Stephenson, Catherine Losier