Fort St. Joseph Critters

 Hello, fellow archaeology enthusiasts! 

My name is Hollie Powless, and I am currently in my last year of studying anthropology at WMU. 

While we are first and foremost focused on the archaeological aspects of this site, I cannot help but notice the natural world around us. Fort St. Joseph is located right on the river, surrounded by lush grasses and trees occupied by a vast array of animals. Many of these critters seem to have taken an interest in our work, frequently stopping by, and pausing in and around our units. Over the last two weeks in the field, my classmates and I have documented and discussed the various bugs and such we meet each day. Daddy long legs, isopods, dragonflies, bumblebees, beetles, slugs, worms, grubs, frogs, and toads are the most abundant across all the units thus far. Other creatures, including various waterfowl and songbirds, turtles, snakes, and an unexpected and adorable mink, grace our presence from a distance from time to time.

In our unit, which will be explored in greater depth in a future blog, my partner Emma and I have discovered and excavated a significant number of bone pieces and fragments. As a result of these excavations, we have started to question how the 18th-century fort’s animal inhabitants compare to what we see there today. Many of the bones we have found so far this field school season, as well as those that have been found in the past, belong to animals that still occupy the area (deer, raccoon, beaver, etc.). The bones of vertebrates, animals with spinal cords and backbones, including all mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and birds, remain preserved in this heavily waterlogged archaeological site. The same, however, cannot be said for invertebrates like bugs, insects, arachnids, slugs, and worms. 

Is it possible that the same kinds of creepy crawlies we interact with now, existed among the Jesuit missionaries, French fur traders, and Natives over 300 years ago? This is an interesting question to propose, as it cannot be answered simply through bone analysis and identification, in the way vertebrates can. 

Although I admittedly would rather the spiders on the site not crawl up my pantlegs, I appreciate their presence in my first field school experience. We look at the bones of dead animals all day, and while undoubtedly exciting, I am thankful to otherwise be surrounded by life. With so much of our excavated bone being in tiny fragments, the hopping frogs and tweeting birds serve as a helpful reminder that though unrecognizable now, that bone once belonged to a living being. Remember to watch where you step if you come out to visit Fort St. Joseph because you never know what little critters might be visiting too!