Mnjikaning Fish Weirs

The Mnjikaning Fish Weirs at Atherley Narrows between Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe are an underwater archaeological site regarded as the oldest known human constructions in Canada. Built by Indigenous peoples from wooden stakes and woven vegetation, the barriers directed fish into places where they could be speared, netted, or stored, especially for winter food. Some remains date to about 4500 BP, and the weirs stayed in use for roughly 5,000 years until the early 1700s. Samuel de Champlain saw them in 1615, and they are widely linked to the origin of the name Toronto. The site is managed by the Rama First Nation.

Ontario · Canada