CHIPPEWA OCCUPATION

THE CHIPPEWA OCCUPATION

The significance of the Chippewa occupation of the Cater site was identified in the 1996 season while we were excavating a trench down the slope of the terrace. Initially, we were hoping to find a trash deposit or midden from the settler cabin on the terrace slope. At the end of the 1996 season, we did in fact encounter a midden and while it did contain some settler debris most of the material could be assigned to an earlier (ca. 1800-1830) Chippewa occupation.

The entire 1997 season was spent determining the extent of this midden. It was found to extend about 100 feet east-west along the terrace and about 40 feet north-south down the slope. The midden ranged in thickness from four to ten inches and consisted of dark gray or black friable silt sandwiched between lighter brown silts. At the top of the terrace slope the midden was located ten inches below the present surface and at the bottom of the slope it was 24 inches below the present surface (see MIDDEN). This depth of sediment is likely the result of increased sedimentation and flooding caused by land clearance (lumbering and agriculture) in the second half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The midden ended in the field associated with the settler cabin where shallow plow scars from a horse drawn plow were encountered at the midden level. Most of the material recovered from this midden consisted of animal bones, with deer and various species of fish being particularly common.

This Chippewa occupation was unexpected and added a new and important dimension to the site. Because no early nineteenth century Chippewa sites had previously been excavated in the state, it was decided that a larger artifact sample and more information concerning this occupation were desirable. In the 1998 and 1999 seasons we expanded our excavations and opened a block of units in this midden.

In addition to the midden, several smudge pits (for the smoking of hides) were also identified. These were usually about eight to twelve inches in diameter and contained charred corncobs, bark, and/or charcoal. Corn from one of these smudge pits was radiocarbon dated and produced a modern date (that is after 1680 A.D.).

The artifacts from the Chippewa occupation have yielded information about what the occupants were doing and the date of the occupation. In general, the artifacts are consistent with a date between 1800 and 1830. British blade gunflints which do not occur in North America much before 1800 indicate a date for the occupation after 1800 and before the 1830's when they were replaced by percussion caps (see GUNFLINTS). One artifact allows us to tighten the date range and suggests a date after the War of 1812 and probably in the 1820's. This is a pewter U.S. Infantry button issued between 1815 and 1821. The presence of this button at the Cater site is not particularly unusual. Military buttons occur rather frequently on frontier sites and uniforms were often given to important Native Americans, particularly at treaties.

Besides the numerous animal bone fragments from the midden, several artifacts attest to the hunting and trapping activities of the Chippewa living at the site. Chief among these are the gunflints and parts from at least five guns. These guns include a Northwest Trade Gun, two Chief Grade Trade Guns, a "Type A English Pattern Trade Rifle," and an unidentified rifle. Follow this link for more on the Cater site guns: NORTHWEST TRADE GUN.

Other artifacts attesting the hunting and trapping activities of the Chippewa occupants are lead ball, shot and scrape and fragments of at least three trade knives (see KNIVES).

Most of the artifacts associated with the Chippewa occupation consist of ornaments and clothing items. These include trade beads, trade silver fragments, a brass hawk bell, brass and tin tinkling cones, and a cut brass pendant. For more on these artifacts, follow these links: TRADE BEADS and TRADE SILVER.

For other interesting artifacts associated with the Cater site Chippewa occupation follow these links: BEAR MANDIBLE, BRASS AWLS , and CUP AND PIN GAME.

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