6.2 EURO-CANADIAN ARTIFACTS (CONTINUED)

6.2.2 Daub

Michael Barnes

Daub recovered from the Island site was untempered, fired or non-fired, and came in various shapes and sizes. Impressions left on the daub were from grass or straw-like materials which did not take any specific pattern. One fragment of significance had perforations within it which had a bore diameter of 1.3-2mm. The perforations were circular in nature, extending the indication that a straw-like material was used.

The total daub recovery from the Island site totalled 1536 elements. Most of this assemblage was unearthed from unit 309/398 (2 litres in total) from the 10-15cm level. ASI (1996) also retrieved a large quantity of daub from the units 313/400 and 313/404.

There is no doubt that this clay is associated with structural evidence. Rempel (1967, 1980), discusses the use of clay in the construction of early Canadian structures. The analysis of this daub can lead to two conclusions. Firstly, impressions embedded on the daub are straw-like, probably used as a means of temper to bond a structure (i.e. a chimney). Secondly, although the daub is concentrated in certain units, there does seem to be a scattering of the finds [the area separating units where daub recoveries are significant is over 5 metres]. This may lead to the conclusion that the daub may be associated with a larger component (i.e. insulation between timbers).

Although daub is not "quantified" as part of ASI's artifact assemblage (ASI 1996:136), it is regarded here with interest concerning the LaRonde occupation. It should seem quite obvious that either of the aforementioned conclusions, pertaining to the function of this daub, will lead to important discoveries. The nature of the construction of the post, and the exact location of it can be investigated from the recoveries of daub.

6.2.3 Clay Pipes

Jonathan Ferguson

Clay tobacco pipes were common items during the research period of this project, which is reflected by their high recovery frequency. The well-documented diachronic changes in form, decoration and marking, combined with the relative fragility and short use of clay pipes, allow for dating to narrower time periods than most other artifacts. In all, 77 clay pipe fragments were found on the LaVase Island Site in the course of the 1992 and 1997 excavations. Pieces decorated or marked on the bowl or spur account for 14 of this total. No marked stems were recovered. The unmarked pieces include 27 stem sections, 34 bowl fragments and 2 combined stem and bowl pieces.

Both kaolin and white ballclay pipes were found on Bothwell Island. The distinction between these clay types is explained above in the introduction to the CbGu-1 pipes, but, as with that site, fabric analysis lies beyond the parameters of this study.

The structure of this analysis will follow the same template employed for the LaVase North Bank Site pipes: spurs, bowl forms, bowl decoration, maker's marks and stems. Again, it should be remembered that a pipe fragment can be discussed under more than one of the above headings, which are meant to provide a simple framework for discussion rather than an exclusive typology. The conclusions section will begin with a summary of the general findings of the pipe analysis for CbGu-5. This will be followed by a brief inter-site comparison with CbGu-1 and consideration of the cultural context of smoking pipes.

SPURS Cat. Nos. 5-92-12, 5-92-13, 5-92-16 and 5-92-18 Four pipe fragments with spurs (a term here intended to include 'heels' and 'bases') were found on Bothwell Island. As with the North Bank examples, all are quite straight-sided, with relatively level bottoms. The heights of these four specimens are fairly consistent, from 5 to 6 mm. In cross-section, three are round, while one (5-92-18) is flat. Again, a width to length ratio of 0.75 or higher was used to define round spurs, with flat spurs here considered to be those with a ratio below that value. Width to length ratios for the round spurs range from 0.81 to 0.91, while the flat spur has a ratio of 0.68. This last fragment (5-92-18) also differs by having 'WG' maker's initials rather than the 'TD' marks found on the other three (these marks are discussed below).

5-92-12 CbGu-5

5-92-16 CbGu-5

From the late seventeenth century onwards, these and other spur types were concurrently produced. As mentioned above for CbGu-1, this overlap inhibits the diachronic study of spurs (Walker 1977: 12-13). Round spurs, however, were not manufactured after 1830, which can thus be considered the terminus ante quem for the 'TD' marked pipes (Archaeological Services Inc. 1996: 138). While the information derivable from spurs by themselves may be limited, they will again be discussed below, in conjunction with other factors.

BOWL FORMS

Cat. No. CbGu-5 5-92-11

5-92-11 CbGu-5

Only one pipe fragment recovered from the LaVase Island Site was sufficiently intact to allow analysis of its form. Number 5-92-11, found during the Settlement Surveys Ltd. 1992 field season, consists of the partial stem and lower bowl section of a pipe. This example is distinct from the North Bank bowls in that it entirely lacks a spur. Unfortunately, this example lacks the upper bowl; detailed identification of type will therefore not be possible. The lack of a mould seam and the smooth surface of the bowl and stem suggest that this pipe was burnished.

Pipes without spurs or bases are more commonly found in the New World than the Old, having mostly been exported. These were produced in the same form as their spurred counterparts, but without any base (Oswald 1975: 40). Be this as it may, 5-92-11 is the only recognizably unspurred pipe found during the 1992 and 1997 LaVase River excavations.

Within the contexts of A. Oswald's 1975 Simplified General Typology for English clay pipes, this example most closely resembles type 27, dated between 1730 and 1760 (Oswald 1975: 40, cf. Figure 4-27). As mentioned above, however, it must be kept in mind that identifications are only tentative, due to the fragmented nature of this pipe. According to Oswald's earlier 1961 typology, this pipe would be considered type 9c (i.e. similar to the spurred North Bank examples), which dates between 1680 and 1730. Various pipes similar to this specimen, recovered from Colonial and post-Colonial American sites, have been attributed to dates from about 1680 to 1820 (Walker 1977: 8, cf. Figures 1c, 6a-2, 6a-3, 6b-3).

Two unspurred pipes, from the nineteenth century North West Company and Hudson's Bay Company post at Rocky Mountain House in Alberta, are exact matches in profile for the surviving portion of 5-92-11. One of these pieces was mottled with blue transfer paint (a later characteristic), which is not the case with the LaVase specimen. The two Rocky Mountain House fragments have been dated by their context to the Hudson's Bay Company occupation phase from 1821 to 1834 (Noble 1973: 105, 107, cf. Figure 42f-g). This same type of pipe is found at the earlier (1802 to 1806) Hudson's Bay Company post at Nottingham House in Alberta. The mould marks of these examples were removed, an attribute shared by 5-92-11 (Karklins 1983: 102). These parallels suggests a later date range than that provided by the typological frameworks above.

BOWL DECORATION

Cat. No. CbGu-5 5-92-17, 97-411

One bowl rim fragment (5-92-17) has a thin incised line just below the lip; the surviving portion of the bowl is otherwise bare. Rouletted and incised lines were common on pipes over a wide range of dates. One such example with only a rouletted line was found in the 1800 to 1860 component of Signal Hill National Historic Park, Newfoundland (Jelks 1973: 72). However, when considered along with the relatively straight profile of the bowl is also considered, 5-92-17 can be cautiously attributed to between c. 1660 and 1740 (see Oswald 1975: Figure 3-7 and Walker 1977: Figure 3a-9 for early and late examples, respectively).

The second pipe fragment found on Bothwell Island with a decorated bowl is 97-411. This piece has the same type of floral stem and leaves along the mould mark as was seen on 1-92-60 above. However, on this example, a thin tendril also extends from the stem between each leaf. Two 'berries' are suspended below each of these tendrils. In addition to this floral design, a polygon with an inscribed cross is visible on the edge of the fragment. The main field of this bowl was apparently occupied by some scene or geometric design, but it is impossible to specify its subject. Moulded scenes and figures were produced in all periods, but proliferated in the nineteenth century. The date range of c. 1800 to 1850 is therefore tentatively suggested for this fragment (Oswald 1975: 96-97, 110-11).

Among the pipe fragments recovered in the 1996 Laurentian University excavations on Bothwell Island, three pieces (Cat. Nos. 96-9, 96-22 and 96-24) were reconstructed into a partial pipe with a decorated bowl (Patrick Julig, Laurentian University 1998: personal communication). No match for this floral motif has been found in the 1992 and 1997 assemblages.

MAKER'S MARKS

a) 'TD' Maker's Marks

Cat. Nos. CbGu-5 5-92-12, 5-92-13, 5-92-14, 5-92-15, 5-92-16, 5-92-70

'TD' maker's marks are found on six pipe fragments from the LaVase Island Site. As mentioned above for CbGu-1, North American 'TD' marked pipes are usually attributed to Thomas Dormer (1748-70) or Thomas Duggan (1805-32) of London. This longevity of production means that these pipes are rather broadly dated from the mid-eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth centuries (Oswald 1975: 67-68, 135).

Incuse 'TD' initials are found on the rear bowl faces of four pipe fragments: 5-92-12, 5-92-14, 5-92-15 and 5-92-70. This method of marking was most common among London manufacturers from c. 1680 to 1720, but is found on 'TD' pipes from North American sites dating into the nineteenth century. Three of the incuse marks (5-92-12, 5-92-14 and 5-92-15) are similar to those from the LaVase North Bank Site, with the initials 'TD' in a circle and stylized garlands above and below. In North America, this type of mark is dated from c. 1760 to 1780 (Oswald 1975: 66-67, Plate V-1). As at CbGu-1, one mark (5-92-14) shows double impression of the 'D' initial, although the characters are considerably less offset on this example. Fragment 5-92-12 also has a marked spur, as will be discussed below.

One difference between the 'TD' bowl marks from Bothwell Island and the North Bank is the form of the enclosing circle on 5-92-12 and 5-92-14. On these bowls, the circle is composed of a series of fine diagonal lines, resembling a rope. Other than in the arrangement of dots in the garlands, these two marks from Bothwell Island indistinguishably match a mid to late eighteenth century 'TD' pipe found at the Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia (Walker 1971: 69, 72-73, cf. Figures 17, 27). Another closely similar parallel from c. 1780 was found in Warren County, North Carolina (Oswald 1975: Figure 11-9).

Parallels can also be found at Fort Michilimackinac in Michigan with Class 1 Series B Type 1 and Class 1 Series C Type 2. As with the CbGu-1 'TD' pipes, secure identification is hindered by the incomplete nature of many of the pipes and the exclusive detail of the typology developed by Lyle M. Stone. Fragments 5-92-12 and 5-92-14 share the 'rope' circle seen on the Michilimackinac's Class 1 Series B Type 1, which dates from the French and British occupations after 1750 (Stone 1974: 149-50 cf. Figures 77-K, 78-G).

The fourth incuse mark (5-92-70) has only a 'D' visible on the left side of the fragment; it is a reasonable assumption that this letter formed part of a 'TD' mark. No enclosing circle is visible on this specimen; a crescent-shaped depression along the right side of the 'D' is more likely to be a moulding flaw than a decorative element. This pipe can only be dated to the mid-eighteenth to mid-nineteenth century range of 'TD' pipe production, as presented above.

Moulded 'TD' initials are found on three spurs from the LaVase Island Site: 5-92-12, 5-92-13 and 5-92-16. These marks follow the convention of having the 'T' on the smoker's left and the 'D' to the right. Again, this manner of marking was typical among London producers in the eighteenth and into the nineteenth centuries. The top of each character points away from the smoker, a characteristic of earlier spur maker's initials (Oswald 1975: 71).

Six examples of 'TD' marks were also found at CbGu-5 in 1995. Of these, 5 include the initials on the spur: Cat. Nos. 3863, 3972, 3983, 4076 and 4234. The sixth fragment (Cat. No. 3973) has the same type of circle and garland motif encountered above with the four 1992 incuse marked 'TD' pipes (Archaeological Services Inc. 1996: 138: 138, Appendix 4).

b) 'WG' Maker's Marks

Cat. Nos. CbGu-5 5-92-18, 5-92-80, 5-92-85, WTP2-1

Four pipe fragments recovered from the LaVase Island Site have 'WG' maker's marks. Three have incuse bowl marks, while the other has spur initials. When 'WG' marked pipes are found on North American sites, they are usually attributed to William Goulding Jr. of London, who produced pipes for export to the New World from 1733 onwards, possibly as late as 1780. As mentioned above, another William Goulding of London used the 'WG' mark and exported pipes to North America around 1712. However, the Bothwell Island 'WG' specimens are almost certainly attributable to the younger Goulding because of their style of marking (Oswald 1975: 66-67, 137, Figure 11-7).

Three of the 'WG' marked pipes (5-92-80, 5-92-85 and WTP2-1) have incuse maker's marks on the back faces of their bowls. This marking method was most common among London producers between c. 1680 and 1720, but lingered on with some manufacturers. 'WG' marked pipes are found in Canada and the United States until the end of their production c. 1780. The incuse marks are of the same basic design as those noted for 'TD' pipes: the initials 'WG' are in the centre of a circle, with simplified garlands above and below. In North America, maker's marks of this design are dated from about 1760 to 1780. This range coincides with the latter half of William Goulding Jr.'s production period (Oswald 1975: 66-67, Figure 11-7, Plate V-1).

As with two of the 'TD' pipes from Bothwell Island, the circles on 5-92-80, 5-92-85 and WTP2-1 are composed of fine series of diagonal lines, not dissimilar to the appearance of rope. This 'WG' design is not known in British contexts, but has been found at various historic sites in the North America. One pipe recovered at Colonial Williamsburg bears the very same maker's mark design. Other examples come from New York, Kipps Post and Ticonderoga (Oswald 1975: Figure 11-7).

The circular mark on WTP2-1 is interesting for another reason. The mark (including the cirle, garlands and initials) has been incorrectly applied, being rotated approximately 45 clockwise and placed slightly to the right of the mould seam of the bowl. Such mistakes are not unknown; on one 'WG' pipe (Cat. No. 4041) recovered from CbGu-5 in 1995, the initials were impressed upside down (Archaeological Services Inc. 1996: 139). The edges of fragment WTP2-1 are waterworn, reflecting its provenience from a water test pit (WTP).

5-92-18 CbGu-5

Pipe fragment 5-92-18 has the 'WG' initials on its spur. As encountered with other spur marks, the first initial 'W' is placed on the left and the second initial 'G' on the right side of the spur, from the smoker's point of view. The letters are oriented such that their tops point away from the user. As discussed above, spur initials were common in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries; this range can be narrowed to its earlier period because of the direction of the letters (Oswald 1975: 71).

At Fort Michilimackinac in Michigan, the combination of moulded spur initials with a circular maker's mark (with 'WG' initials and garlands) on the bowl has been classified as Class 1 Series C Type 4 (Stone 1974: 150, cf. Figure 78-I). While the CbGu-5 'WG' fragments are too small to include both bowl and spur marks, they are consistent with this Michilimackinac type to the extent to which they survive. One slight difference is that the Bothwell Island specimens include the 'rope' rather than the plain circle.

Three 'WG' pipes were found on Bothwell Island during the 1995 field season. Of these, two (Cat. Nos. 4041 and 4071) have both spur and bowl marks, while the third (3941) has the initials only on its spur. The bowl markings are consistent with those presented above, incorporating the initials (upside down on 4041) and garlands within a circle (Archaeological Services Inc. 1996: 138-39, Appendix D).

c) Unidentified Maker's Marks

Cat. No. CbGu-5 5-92-17, 97-403

Two bowl pieces were recovered from Bothwell Island with apparent, yet unidentifiable, maker's marks. Unfortunately, no significant information may be extracted from these fragments, as both are small and waterworn. On 5-92-17 (not the same fragment with the lip line decoration; these were collectively catalogued), part of a moulded letter can be seen along the edge, consisting of two connected perpendicular lines. Judging by the alignment of the mould seam, these lines should form the top or bottom of a straight-lined letter. Relief maker's initials began to be produced in London around 1660 and are found on late examples ('TD' pipes) up to about 1850 (Oswald 1975: 67).

Fragment 97-403 includes part of a circle with a letter inside. The circle is made up of diagonal lines, as encountered above with 'TD' and 'WG' pipes, but these lines are spaced farther apart. Little can be said about the initials, except that they include a rounded letter. The date range of 1760 to 1780, as for the 'TD' and 'WG' pipes, is here suggested.

STEMS

Thirty-two pipe fragments recovered from CbGu-5 include parts of the stems. Marked or decorated bowl and stem pieces account for 4 of this total, the remainder being composed of 26 unmarked stem fragments and 2 unmarked combined bowl and stem pieces.

As at the La Vase North Bank Site, 2 original mouthpieces (5-92-8 and 97-479) were found on Bothwell Island. Both fragments bear the characteristic bevelling of their thinner ends (Karklins 1983: 105). Fragment 97-479 is noticeably thicker at its end than is 5-92-8 (5.15 mm versus 3.98 mm). Glazing is less apparent on the island than on the mainland, but can be discerned on 5-92-72 and 5-92-75. Again, staining is sometimes difficult to distinguish from glaze. No pipe stem fragments were found in 1992 or 1997 with convincing evidence of retouching or smoothing, although one (Cat. No. 4234) was unearthed in 1995 (Archaeological Services Inc. 1996: 138).

The historic development of clay pipes saw the stem bore grow thinner through time, a process which has led to statistical dating formulae for pipes, which can be extended to their contexts. The theory, history and procedure of this technique are discussed more fully above for CbGu-1. In brief, by measuring the stem bore of each fragment in sixty-fourths of an inch and counting the frequency of each bore size, the mean stem bore (X) may be found. From the formulae, the mean date of the pipes (Y) may be calculated (Oswald 1975: 92-94; Walker 1977: 9-11).

Table 17 summarizes the calculations and results of this procedure for the LaVase Island Site. Bothwell Island yielded 28 stem fragments with intact bore sections, which all measured between 4/64 and 6/64 of an inch. As with the LaVase North Bank Site, the stem assemblage is rather small, certainly below the preferred minimum of 900. The dates provided in Table B are therefore intended to serve only as general temporal indications.

Table 17. Statistical dating of pipe stem bores from the LaVase Island Site (CbGu-5).

The Binford and Hanson pipe dating techniques produced dates in the middle of the eighteenth century, earlier than the expected date range of 1795 to 1821 for the LaRonde Post component of the site. The difficulties encountered when using the Binford method for late eighteenth and early nineteenth pipes has been well recognized, as explained above for the LaVase North Bank Site. Again, the 1710 to 1800 time bracket for the Hanson technique has provided an early date range difficult to explain, but perhaps attributable to older deposits or the extension of occupation beyond the formula's time frame. The Omwake equation again provided an acceptable result, and may be better suited to later sites such as this.

CONCLUSIONS

As with the pipes from CbGu-1, it is of interest to the researcher that many, if not all, of these pipes were smoked before being lost or discarded. Thirteen bowls show evidence of use, including black carbon coating or brown tobacco discolouration. Stains are also found on six stem fragments, but it is difficult to determine if these result from smoking or from soil staining. As discussed above, no reworked or smoothed stem ends were found in 1992 or 1997, although evidence of this practice at the island site was established by a modified fragment found in 1995. This evidence of use shows that at least some of the pipes were personal objects rather than trade items.

Medium to high evidence for water wear is visible on nineteen fragments, including the rounding of broken edges and erosion of the surface. Examples with lesser, but still noticeable, erosion could have been the result of shorter immersion in water or perturbation in soil. The majority of waterworn fragments came from the 1992 test pitting along the shore areas of Bothwell Island. These pipe pieces may be in secondary contexts, perhaps, like the CbGu-1 waterworn fragments, as a result of the dredging of the river mouth.

The quantity of dating information presented above may seem daunting to the reader. Table Q shows the most reasonable date ranges, in North American contexts, for the various diagnostic pipe elements. Included in this table is the calculation, from the mid-range date and frequency of each category, of the mean date for the assemblage (Grange 1980: 60-61). This procedure is described in more detail above, in the conclusions of the pipe analysis for the LaVase North Bank Site. The derived mean date of 1770 is too early for the LaRonde Post occupational phase of Bothwell Island. However, it must be remembered that this date also takes into account previous activity at the site, such as camping by voyageurs. The expected date ranges reveal that some of the pipes, at least, can be presumed to belong to the LaRonde component of the site.

Table 18. Formula dating for clay tobacco pipes from the LaVase Island Site (CbGu-5).

Diagnostic Features	Expected Date Range	Mid-Range Date	Type Freq.	Date X Freq.
Incuse 'TD' bowl mark with circle, initials and garlands	1760-1780	1770	3	5310
Incuse 'WG' bowl mark, as above	1760-1780	1770	3	5310
Incuse unidentified bowl mark, as above	1760-1780	1770	1	1770
Incuse 'TD' bowl mark, initials only	1748-1850	1799	1	1799
Relief unidentified bowl maker's mark	1660-1850	1755	1	1755
Round 'TD' spur	1748-1830	1789	2	3578
Flat 'WG' spur	1733-1780	1757	1	1757
Lip line decoration, straight sides	1660-1740	1700	1	1700
Floral bowl decoration	1800-1850	1825	1	1825
Unspurred, plain	1680-1820	1750	1	1750
Totals			15	26554
Mean Date = (Date X Freq.) / (Freq.)				1770

In summary, by studying bowl forms, spurs, decoration and maker's marks, the pipes from the LaVase Island Site can be generally dated from the mid-eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth centuries, the same general time frame observed for the LaVase North Bank Site. Formula dating of the CbGu-5 pipes provides a date of 1770, twenty-four years earlier that the one derived for CbGu-1 (1794). However, no especially significant chronological difference can otherwise be detected between the two sites; the discrepancy in dates is likely the result of a few early and late outlying examples. This contemporaneity is reinforced by the stem bore diameter dating techniques, which give almost exactly the same results (see Tables 17 and 18). Given this similarity, the assemblages can be combined to produce dates for CbGu-1 and CbGu-5 together. Table 19 shows the calculation of the statistical date for the combination of these two sites from stem bore diameters.

Table 19.Statistical dating of pipe stem bores of the combined assemblage from the LaVase North Bank Site (CbGu-1) and the LaVase Island Site (CbGu-5).

Stem Bore (1/64")	Frequency	(Bore) (Freq.)
4	22	88
5	42	210
6	6	36
Totals	70	334
X = [(Bore) (Freq.)] / Freq. =		4.77
Binford: Y = 1931.85 - 38.26X =		1749
Hanson (1710-1800): Y = 2026.12 - 58.97X =		1745 ± 22.50
Omwake: Y = 1929.189 - 26.818X =		1801

Again, it should be noted that the Binford and Hanson methods produce dates earlier than the expected date range of 1795 to 1821 for the LaRonde Post occupational phase. As discussed above, the Binford equation has been shown to consistently provide dates which are too early for late eighteenth and early nineteenth century sites.

As noted above in the conclusions for the clay pipes from CbGu-1, it has been suggested that formula dating may provide more acceptable results for sites too late for stem bore dating (Grange 1980: 60-61). Table R shows the frequency and date ranges for the diagnostic elements of the combined clay pipe assemblages from both of the LaVase sites. The derived date of 1783 is again earlier than the expected period of occupation during the LaRonde Post phase, but reflects the prolonged historical activity at the mouth of the LaVase River.

Table 20. Formula dating for the combined clay tobacco pipe assemblages from the LaVase North Bank Site (CbGu-1) and the LaVase Island Site.

Diagnostic Features	Expected Date Range	Mid-Range Date	Type Freq.	Date X Freq.
Relief 'TD' bowl mark, plain thin spur	1800-1850	1825	1	1825
Incuse 'TD' bowl mark with circle, initials and garlands	1760-1780	1770	10	17700
Incuse 'WG' bowl mark, as above	1760-1780	1770	3	5310
Incuse unidentified bowl mark, as above	1760-1780	1770	2	3540
Incuse 'TD' bowl mark, initials only	1748-1850	1799	1	1799
Relief unidentified bowl maker's mark	1660-1850	1755	1	1755
Round 'TD' spur	1748-1830	1789	3	5367
Round 'WG' spur	1733-1830	1782	1	1782
Flat 'WG' spur	1733-1780	1757	1	1757
Fluted bowl decoration	1780-1830	1805	2	3610
Lip line decoration, straight sides	1660-1740	1700	1	1700
Floral bowl decoration	1800-1850	1825	4	7300
Unspurred, plain	1680-1820	1750	1	1750
Henderson (?) marked stem	1847-1876	1862	1	1862
Totals			32	57057
Mean Date = (Date X Freq.) / (Freq.)				1783

The mid-eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth century date range for the two LaVase sites coincides with the historical information known about the mouth of the river. As a popular camping spot for voyageurs travelling both east and west along the main fur trade route, it is to be expected that some mid-eighteenth century pipes would be found. Lost or discarded by voyageurs, pipes remain among the few reminders of their passage. During the LaRonde Post occupational phase (c. 1795 to 1821), pipes would have been deposited by the LaRonde family, their guests and any voyageurs camped nearby. Following the amalgamation of the North West and Hudson's Bay Companies in 1821, traffic along the LaVase portages diminished. At about the same time, the post was moved to Garden Island. This decrease in human activity is echoed by the few late nineteenth century clay pipe types at the two sites.

It should here be noted that it cannot be assumed that these clay pipes all belonged to Euro-Canadians. Pipes of European manufacture were adopted by Aboriginals in addition to the Native clay and stone pipe technologies. European clay pipes have been unearthed from Native sites, albeit less frequently than on European sites. Examples were found at the Bell Site in Wisconsin, a Fox Indian palisaded village dating from c. 1680 to 1730 (Quimby 1966: 77, 118, 123). A number of European clay pipes (including three 'TD' spurs) were found at the Bellamy Site, an Ojibwa domestic site in Southwestern Ontario dated to c. 1790. At least two of the 'TD' pipes were most likely distributed to the Natives by the British Indian Department (Ferris et al. 1985: 10-12, 19). Therefore, while the historical evidence suggests that the majority of activity in the LaVase River area may have been Euro-Canadian, some of the clay pipes may well have been deposited by Natives passing through or camped at the sites. This consideration of the cross-cultural aspects of clay tobacco pipes allows for a broader and fuller understanding of the history of the area at the mouth of the LaVase River.

Back to the Lavase River/Fort Laronde