With the coming of spring, MSHP archaeology staff has wrapped up their winter work and are turning their thoughts to the new field season.
Beginning in September, we go through the season’s artifacts, cleaning, sorting, counting and identifying each one. Sometimes, once an artifact is cleaned and we can study it more carefully, we discover something we did not recognize in the field. This winter we discovered yet another ceramic type in the lab, one that had not been found at Michilimackinac since the 1970s. Nottingham-type stoneware has a brown salt-glaze that looks almost metallic, with molded decorations. We found a rosette from a fairly large vessel. This adds to the long list of ceramic types found in this house.
Now that all of last year’s finds are carefully stored in the Petersen Center in Mackinaw City, we are ready to begin excavating again. 2017 will mark the tenth full season of excavation on House E of the Southeast Rowhouse. This house was lived in by the Gonneville family during the French period and by an English trader during the British era. The field season will begin June 5 and continue seven days week, weather permitting, through Au
gust 26.
