Objects
Pipe
BjFj-101.220
Fine white clay
Smoking
1.54 cm in diameter X 3.2 cm long
Netherlands, Holland
1642-1688
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
Part of a very early Sir Walter Raleigh pipe. Raleigh (born around 1554 and died in 1618) founded Virginia. After they were introduced to tobacco by Natives, smoking quickly became popular among Europeans, who also began making pipes. This one was found on the Fort Ville-Marie site.
Jesuit ring
BjFj-101.213
Brass
Religion and ritual
2.17 cm in diameter
France
1642-1760
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
Very well preserved Jesuit ring. These rings get their name from the fact that the Jesuits were the first to introduce them in New France, where they offered them as rewards to Natives for converting to Catholicism. They were soon also traded for furs.
Coin
BjFj-101.355
Copper alloy and metal
Trade
2 cm in diameter
France
1610-1643
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
This coin is a double tournois (the name given to various coins struck by the kings of France). It bears the effigy of Louis XIII (1610 - 1643). It was during his reign that Montréal was founded and the construction of Fort Ville-Marie began. The coin remained in circulation for many years.
Terrine
BjFj-101.12
Green glazed earthenware
Food preparation
13 cm in diameter at the base
France
Mid-17th century
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
These terrine fragments were found in a trench dug around 1642 and associated with Fort Ville-Marie. A terrine is a conical container with a pouring spout, used mainly for preparing food and other household purposes. This one, made in Sadirac, in southwest France, is typical of French pottery at that time.
Rosary beads
BjFj-101.574
Bone
Religion and ritual
8 cm in diameter
France
1642 to around 1688
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
These bone rosary beads were very carefully made. Because Montréal was founded with the aim of converting the Natives to Catholicism, it is not surprising that so many rosary beads have been found dating back to the time of Fort Ville-Marie (1642 - 1688). The French used rosaries themselves for praying, and also gave them as gifts to new converts.
Thimble
BjFj-101.442
Copper alloy and metal
Sewing
1.2 cm in diameter X 1.95 cm high
Europe
1642-1688
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
A thimble is worn to protect the finger that pushes the needle when doing small household sewing jobs. This very early 17th-century model, found in the soil from Fort Ville-Marie, is rather squat and rounded. Young men are said to have sometimes offered a thimble to their beloved as a token of commitment.
Sundial
BjFj-101.480
Slate
Measuring time
22 cm X 15 cm
France
1642-1688
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Alain Vandal
One of the most valuable finds is a 17th-century sundial, because it was the first such object ever found at a Quebec archaeological site. This type of sundial was attached to a building, in a vertical position. It was found in layers associated with fill operations on the point when Callière's Residence was built, but probably comes from earlier soil, from the days of Fort Ville-Marie.
Bale seal
BjFj-101.534
Lead
Trade
4 cm X 2.43 cm
France
1642-1760
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
Some goods, including cloth, were shipped to New France in bales bound with metal wire or rope. A bale seal would be attached, showing the merchant's name, its place of origin and sometimes the quantity and quality of the goods. This complete specimen is marked: : RES. A MONTAV... probably indicating that the bale was from Montauban, France. Clothing, blankets and cloth were used by the French, but were also popular trade goods with the Natives.
Tinkling cone
BjFj-101.546
Beaten copper
Adornment
0.6 cm in diameter X 2 cm long
France
1642-1760
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
Natives were familiar with copper before the Europeans arrived, but had trouble producing it. That is why they were so fond of these shiny tinkling cones. They made these objects from tiny triangles cut from copper sheets, originally gold coloured, that they traded for furs. The cones would be wrapped around their clothing or their hair.
Beads
BjFj-101.5
Blue glass
Adornment
0.3 cm in diameter X 1,7 cm long
France
Contact period before 1642
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
Starting with the first contacts between Natives and the Europeans who came here to explore the new territory, glass beads, which were very popular with Natives, were traded for furs. By the 17th century, the Europeans were more familiar with Native tastes -- that is why simple white or blue beads (which Natives seemed to prefer) dominated the market for some time.
Bead
BjFj-101.504
Opaque red glass
Adornment
0.4 cm in diameter X 1.1 cm long
France
1642-1688
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
Twisted tubular red glass bead. Glass beads in a variety of colours and shapes form the bulk of our archaeological collections from the soil layers associated with the French Regime. This one comes from Fort Ville-Marie and was probably used in the fur trade.
Bead
BjFj-101.560
Opaque black and white glass
Adornment
1.1 cm in diameter X 1.3 cm long
France
1642-1688
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
This large glass bead decorated with black is unusual and appears to be a one-of-a-kind object. The decoration on it is similar to that on some late-16th century ceramic beads, but is not found on glass beads from that period. The point of land near the St. Lawrence River, today called Pointe-à-Callière, was frequented by Natives, especially during the large annual fur fairs.
Projectile point
BjFj-101.525
Beaten copper
Hunting
4.9 cm long X 2.5 cm wide
France
1642-1688
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
Copper cauldrons were some of the 17th-century French trade goods most prized by Natives. They not only used them for cooking, but also sometimes cut them up and turned them into jewellery and projectile points like this one. A great example of recycling found in the soil from Fort Ville-Marie.
Gunflint
BjFj-101.568
Flint
Hunting and/or warfare, accessory
2.2 cm X 2.1 cm
France
1642-1688
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
A gunflint was used to create a spark to light the gunpowder inside the barrel of a gun, to propel the shot. This French gunflint dates from the Fort Ville-Marie period. It may also have been traded with Natives, who found these objects very useful.
Shot
BjFj-101.250
Lead
Hunting and/or warfare, ammunition
1.25 cm in diameter
Unknown
1642-1688
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
Hunting was an essential activity, for both the French and Natives. This means that weapons and ammunition were highly valuable and were some of the most popular trade goods with Natives.
Bear's tooth
BjFj-101.105
Bone
Mammal
6.9 cm X 6.3 cm
Canada
Earliest days to 1688
Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
Luc Bouvrette
You have to remember that in the 17th century Old Montréal had not yet been built up and there was a forest right on the edge of it. So it was quite natural for there to be animals, especially bears. This tooth is from a bear that was perhaps hunted by Natives or the French, for food and its skin.
