Just bead it

Fashionable beaver hats of the time.
Image courtesy Library and Archives Canada

Fort St. Joseph was an important trade center for the French, Potawatomi, Miami, and others during the Fur Trade in the 18th century, but what were people trading?

The French were predominantly interested in pelts, specifically beaver, as beaver hats were all the rage in Europe at this time. This trade did begin to decline in the 1700s as Europe experienced a surplus of furs and fashions began to chance to the point where it was no longer profitable to maintain the fur trade' however, the French continued the practice for the sake of maintaining alliances and relationships with the Native Americans. Keep in mind, there were a whole lot more Native Americans than there were French at the time, and the French also had to think about what the British were doing in terms of imperial policy.

While the Native American groups shared similar concerns in terms of relationships, their preferred trade items were obviously different. The most desirable trade item was cloth, an item that generally does not appear in the archaeological record though archives and invoices from the period of New France list cloth as one of the most commonly traded items. This is no surprise given the ease of working with and wearing cloth as opposed to leather/animal skins. Leather has to undergo a long treatment process to be wearable, is very thick, and can be rather uncomfortable when wet. Cloth and pre-made clothing saved Native Americans time and was a suitable replacement for skins.

Beads from previous excavations at the fort.

Cloth was not the only trade item. Other objects included kettles for cooking, vermillion for ceremonial painting, some guns but mostly ammunition supplies like powder and shot, knives, and, on a smaller but no less important scale, beads. Beads came in many different types including those made from clay, antler, bone, and glass. Trade beads were made from glass and mostly came from Italy or the Netherlands, though there was possible a factory located near Jamestown, Virginia. Seed beads were used for embroidery, but there were other varieties of glass beads as well including those that were wound. This image shows a small sampling of the shapes and colors we have been finding. As displayed in previous blog posts, adornment was very important for both Europeans and Native Americans, evidence of which appears constantly in our excavations!

Photo credit Cathrine Davis.

Kelley

Mysteries of the Past

Ken's eyes gleamed like lead shot found in the wet screen. "Jordan, look at this!" he exclaimed as he carefully stepped across the damp, fragrant hay surrounding our unit. I looked into his outstretched hand, curiosity evident in my expression. The sun caught on the artifact, sending delicate rainbows of light scurrying across his palm.

I gasped with amazement as I gingerly retrieved the object and began to study it in closer proximity. It was a small piece of elegantly cut glass, obviously meant for personal adornment. I rolled it back and forth daintily between my fingers, feeling the alluring caress of the past as I imagined what sort of ornamentation it served as during its heyday. The ridges were strong yet subtle, creating a silhouette both graceful and pleasing to the eye.

Even while engrossed in my observations of the glass bauble, I noticed a break in the earthy music of the site as my unit neighbor to the west paused in his troweling. Alex stood up slowly, wiping the sweat from his brow. A glint of green shimmered in his firm hand, piquing my interest. "We have a green cufflink here, set in some sort of metal." Our eyes met as we halted our perusal of our respective finds. Identical expressions of pleasure flooded our faces as I somberly declared, "We must be approaching occupation level!" We carefully placed our artifacts in amber vials and picked up our trowels anew, anticipation renewing our efforts.

Jordan Freeman

Photo credit Cathrine Davis

All in a week's work...

Hi everyone,

To start off I suggest everyone take a look at this article in the Niles Daily Star. Thanks to Kate of the Star for coming out to the site last week to see what we are up to!

It certainly has been a busy week down at the site, but there are some excellent finds to show for it! This week was also the first week of Archaeology Campers, and we could not be more appreciative of the extra hands on site and hope the first group enjoyed the opportunity to work like a real archaeologist--digging, screening, paperwork, and all. Some of these campers decided to share their experience for the blog, so I will be posting one or two of these every so often so you all can hear about what is it like to join the staff and students in the pits. The following are the thoughts of one of these brave souls:

Some of our hard-working campers!

"We have learned much about the world of archaeology--from the lectures on the lives of those living in historic times to the eureka of discovery, granted it might be a bead, rock, or a not-so-old bottle...all are discoveries nonetheless.

We have also experienced the hard work of digging holes, sliding and sinking in mud, and washing artifacts in a dark basement. Still, what actually started out as a "bucket list" activity has turned into something I intend to do again."

I say the more future archaeologists the better! As for some of the great finds this week one of them may be the first feature of the year. A large stone, far too large to have been brought in by the river, has been uncovered in one of the units. At this time we are thinking that this may mark part of a foundation, and are eager to get back into the trenches to continue the investigation!

Other exciting finds include purple and white shell beads called wampum (please click the photo to the left for a close-up). Wampum were strung and woven together into belts by Native Americans to commemorate sacred and historic events like alliances and treaties. These belts were sometimes also used as currency, especially after the arrival of Europeans who began to produce the belts in greater quantities. This is such an exciting find because wampum is made from quahog or whelk shells that are only found along the northeast coast--these beads traveled quite a distance to get here, and likely mark some serious trade activities!

This is what it is "awl" about!

This week also marks the discovery of our first awl for this year. Awls made out of bone or antler were used by Native Americans to punch holes in hides in order to stitch them together. When Europeans entered the area they brought with them metal awls that could be used in trade negotiations. Awls are pointed tools that are much heavier than typical sewing needles, making them ideal for working with thick materials like leather. This type of tool has been around for thousands and thousands of years and has been made from many different materials including antler, bone, stone, and metal. Today many awl kits come with a wooden handle into which interchangable awl tips can be inserted.

Glass inset.

Two other eye-catching finds include a cufflink with green glass inset and a clear glass inset that also could have been part of a cufflink or some item of personal adornment. While these may be some of the most alluring finds, they are no more important than the bone and nails that we pull out of the dirt. For archaeologists every single type of artifact has the potential to tell a story. Nails can direct us towards the location of buildings, bones can tell us about what people were eating, and cufflinks can tell us about adornment styles. Each is a clue to understanding the past, and should not be overlooked.

Cufflink.

I will check back in tomorrow with an update on our lead bale seal, tales from campers, and more (I have to leave some surprises!). Thank you to everyone who came out to the Wednesday lecture and our Friday 2:00 tour. Also, a big thanks to those following along with our blog--we really appreciate your support!

Kelley


Photo credits Cathrine Davis

Archaeology is a Battlefield

What’s happening, dedicated Fort St. Joseph followers,

Blogging tonight is your one and only FSJ resident funny man, The Lance Meister. Many of you may know me better as the hand holding projectile points and the beautifully preserved lead seal. This also could constitute me as the official hand model of the Fort, with a little luck that hand will keep popping up on the blog holding more of Nile’s great history.

Hanging by the lake at a volunteer's home.

Before getting into my finds and experiences working as a small cog in the FSJ machine, I would like to personally thank everyone involved in the project that goes unnoticed. A special thanks goes out to the sponsors for the amazing food and hospitality shown to our staff and students during our first weeks in Niles. We also appreciate the time and effort donated by our friends affiliated with Support the Fort, along with those hard working individuals there is you. Yes you…without you coming to our lectures, open house, site tours (Fridays at 2:00, if you’re not there you’re square) and following this blog, we wouldn’t have much of a reason to be here digging in the first place. The interest shown in the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Field School and the open house that coincides with it is amazing and will only get better with your word of mouth. So while we are toiling in the mud and muck of the Fort site, we need you to spread the word, so get excited Niles and greater West Michigan, this is your history.

Explaining the unit.

Alright on to my side of this romance novel we are living out involving the dirty sweaty ladies and gents of the field school. Our love affair with the alluvium layers that represent the first 20-30 centimeters of shovel skimming and hand toweling, seemed to melt away like our Popsicle during last week’s heat wave. The heavy hand of last week’s heat was not an enemy left at the side of the river after site clean up, but a shadowy figure following us back to the hot box also known as Niles High School. It seems the only weapon we had to fend off this dastardly creature was the excitement of putting our dirty hands on incredible artifacts.

Ear bob!

Our weapon of choice was unearthed last Friday, an unbelievably well preserved lead bale seal that seemed to breathe new life into our collective lungs. After a short weekend the weather decided that intense heat would not bring us to our knees; Mother Nature opened up the clouds and brought rain upon us students. Ericka and I would need to reveal an artifact that could squelch the storms that were brewing; our comrades in digging would not be disappointed. An elegant and interestingly decorated ear bob, used for native adornment, would come to our defense and strike the sense of despair from our hearts. For this artifact would inspire and continue to drive us students to press on and laugh in the face of a few rain drops. So as a group we say not this time weather, with your wet and rainy clouds and sweat sapping heat, you will not slow down the progress of our group of archaeologists. We are simply too strong, too dedicated, and too darn good at what we do to allow Mother Nature to muck with our affection of uncovering New France’s secrets.

Stay Classy Niles
The Lance Meister

Photo credits Cathrine Davis

Summer Lecture Series and Tinkling Cones

Hi everyone,

Join us tonight at 7:30 in the community room of the Niles District Library for a lecture by Dr. Dean Anderson, the Michigan State Archaeologist. His talk is titled "Trade Between Cultures: The French Period in the Western Great Lakes Region," and will focus on the relationship between Native Americans and  the French in the Great Lakes region. This connection between cultures was based on trade that went beyond monetary exchange by playing a part in politics and alliance. Dr. Anderson will focus on the Native American side of the trade relationship.

Support the Fort members will again be providing snacks. Hope to see you there!

Another shot of the tinkling cone from Fort St. Joseph.
Photo credit Cathrine Davis

In a continuation of yesterday's post I wanted to elaborate on tinkling cones for our readers that may be less familiar with the term. Trade with the French increased Native American access to sheets of metal who, prior to the French arrival, were skilled in working copper. By the 17th century Native peoples were taking tiny scraps of metal, such as brass and copper, and cutting them into trapezoid shapes. These were then rolled to create a small metal cone. These could then be affixed to clothing, moccasins, bags, and other items. Some were incorporated into more elaborate designs using quillwork, etching, and animal fur. The name comes from the sound the cones make when they hit one another.

Example of a jingle dress.
Image courtesy of sewnative.com

The use of tinkling cones was widespread, and several examples have been found at Fort St. Joseph. These cones are still made and used today, often for jingle dresses for Powwow events.

See you tonight!

Kelley