Michilimackinac Archaeology 2021 Wrap-Up Posted September 10, 2021 Southeast root cellar. This image shows the cellar shortly before completion. Only a gray circular area of cultural deposit, probably a postmold, and remnants of the south wall remain. The 2021 Michilimackinac field season came to a satisfying end in late August. After seven seasons of excavation, we have finally reached the bottom of the southeast root cellar! The cellar was first tentatively identified in 2015. Since that time remnants of the north, west and south walls have been exposed and excavated along with a wide variety of interesting artifacts. More cellar deposit and the east wall are still present in the east profile and extending into the area of the House D excavation where the cellar was identified, but not excavated.Central cellar. The dark soil surrounded by lighter sand is the central cellar. Six posts are now visible along the eastern edge of the cellar, two on the south, three on the west, and one on the north. The central cellar, on the other hand, became better defined and shows no sign of ending. It continued to yield trade goods, such as hawk bells, and structural artifacts, such as a hinge. A second new square was opened in the north row of squares where we eventually expect to find evidence of the north wall of the house. Both squares opened this summer are now down to the rubble layer created by the 1781 demolition of the fort. The newest square yielded the most interesting artifact of the second half of the season, a clear, circular intaglio set with Masonic symbols on it. The square and compass surrounding the letter G are easy to see. The surrounding symbols are not as legible but appear to include a trowel on the left. The set is .42” in diameter and could be from a linked button or a ring. While the lodge at Mackinac (St. John’s #15) was not established until 1784 on Mackinac Island, many of the soldiers and traders at Michilimackinac were members of lodges in Detroit or further east. Known Masons at Michilimackinac include: Major Robert Rogers, Lt. John Christie, Captain John Vattas, Lt. Robert Brooks, Lt. George Clowes, Surgeon’s Mate David Mitchell, Felix Graham, Benjamin Lyon, Forrest Oakes, David Rankin, and Ezekiel Solomon.Masonic intaglio from a linked button or ring. This list is a starting point for possible owners of the intaglio. It could be a clue to the “British trader” who owned the house or could have been lost by a guest of his. It is particularly interesting to note that three other residents of the southeast rowhouse were Masons, Lt. Clowes (House A/B), Ezekiel Solomon (House C), and David Mitchell (House D).The site is packed and waiting for spring. The 2021 field season was sponsored by Mackinac Associates, and we thank them for their generous support.
Reynold Weidenaar at the Mackinac Art Museum Posted August 24, 2018 “Bridge Builders, Mackinac Straits” Reynold Weidenaar (1915-1985) was an internationally acclaimed artist known for his use of Intaglio-style etching. This complicated process involves etching or engraving a solid piece of copper, placing ink upon the etched copper, and running it through a rotary press with a piece of paper over it to which the ink is then transferred. This creates a print of the etching previously done on the copper. This meticulous process can take anywhere from a few hours to several days to complete. Within the Intaglio process there are many different methods. Two of these can be seen in the prints above. The Bridge and the Storm, Mackinac Straits and Bridge Builders, Mackinac Straits are done in Mezzotint, which involves a rod called a “rocker” used to make the etching. The other, Building the Bridge, Mackinac Straits, is aquatint which utilizes resin for the same etching purpose. (more…)
