Table Of ContentOCCASIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF
ANTHROPOLOGY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
No. II
OLD BIRCH ISLAND
CEMETERY
AND THE EARLY
HISTORIC TRADE ROUTE
GEORGIAN BAY, ONTARIO
BY
EMERSON F. GREENMAN
ANN ARBOR
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN PRESS
© 1951 by the Regents of the University of Michigan
The Museum of Anthropology
All rights reserved
ISBN (print): 978-1-949098-53-2
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-951538-52-1
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FOREWORD
IN 1938 Old Birch Island was in archaeologically unknown
territory. The co-operation of several individuals expedited the
work of exploration and contributed to the convenience of the
members of the field party. Mr. W. J. Wintemberg, now de
ceased, and Dr. Diamond Jenness, of the National Museum of
Canada, gave information about the Manitoulin region and
furnished names of residents who could supply information.
Mr. Grant Turner of Little Current contributed valuable leads
to the locations of sites and was helpful in many other ways.
For consultation and advice on the interpretation of the
cultural affiliations of Old Birch Island Cemetery, I am in
debted to Dr. William A. Ritchie, of the New York State
Museum, Dr. Richard MacNeish, of the National Museum of
Canada, and Dr. James B. Griffin, of the University of Michi
gan. Mr. Robert Benton, a student in 1938, was field assistant.
Mr. John Walker, now deceased, and Mr. and Mrs. Gus Mc
Gregor, of Birch Island Reserve, contributed information on
the history of the Indians of the Manitoulin District and
on the locations of archaeological sites.
A grant from the Board of Governors of the Horace H. Rack
ham School of Graduate Studies made possible the excavation
of Old Birch Island Cemetery and also provided for the publica
tion of the results.
EMERSON F. GREENMAN
CONTENTS
Introduction....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I
Sites in the Vicinity of Old Birch Island ....................... 12
Old Birch Island Cemetery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Burials ................................................... 22
Artif;:tcts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Native Artifacts ......................................... 36
Trade Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Interpretation ............................................. 56
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
ILLUSTRATIONS
PLATES
(Plates I-XXVI follow page 69.)
PLATE
I. FIG. I. West shore of Old Birch Island, with mainland of
Cloche Peninsula in the distance.
FIG. 2. Strait between Great Cloche Island and Little
Cloche Island, south from Dreamer's Rock.
II. FIG. I. Swift Current and Cloche Channel.
FIG. 2. Rock bearing cup marks on Great Cloche Island.
III. FIG. 1. French River, main entrance, about a mile inside.
FIG. 2. Entrance to Bad River Channel of French River,
northward.
IV. FIG. I. Killarney Channel, westward.
FIG. 2. South end of strait between Great and Little Cloche
islands.
V. FIG. I. Grondine Point.
FIG. 2. Collins Inlet.
VI. Aerial view of Voyageur Channel entrance.
VII. FIG. I. Indian Bight, a short distance north of Grondine
Point.
FIG. 2. Main entrance of French River, from Georgian Bay.
VIII. FIG. I. McGregor Bay and McGregor Point as seen from
Dreamer's Rock, eastward.
FIG. 2. East arm of Cloche Channel, northward from the
site of the cemetery on Great Cloche Island.
IX. FIG. I. McGregor Bay from Dreamer's Rock. Old Birch
Island is in the distance.
FIG. 2. Poncet Station, the village on Birch Island Reserve.
X. FIG. I. Site of early historic cemetery on Great Cloche
Island.
FIG. 2. The general area of the Indian village on Great
Cloche Island.
XI. FIG. 1. Grave 19, before excavation.
FIG. 2. Grave 3, exposed.
XII. FIG. 1. Grave 2, exposed.
FIG. 2. Grave 3, partly exposed.
XIII. FIG. 1. Grave 6, exposed.
FIG. 2. Grave 8, exposed.
vi
ILLUSTRATIONS Vll
PLATE
XIV. Grave 13, exposed.
XV. FIG. I. Grave I9, exposed.
FIG. 2. Grave IS, exposed.
XVI. FIG. I. Grave I, exposed.
FIG. 2. Grave I8, exposed.
XVII. FIG. I. A, brass pail; B, brass pail.
FIG. 2. A, brass pail; B, wooden cup.
FIG. 3· A, wooden ladle bowl; B, wooden tray.
XVIII. FIG. I. A, brass spoon; B, ladle of turtle shell; C, probably
part of spoon bowl.
FIG. 2. A, bone awl; B-E, bone harpoons.
XIX. FIG. I. A, iron strike-a-light; B, iron strike-a-light; C, iron
strike-a-light; D, iron strike-a-light; E, iron awl;
F, curved iron knife; G, iron chisel.
FIG. 2. A, iron knife; B, iron knife; C, iron knife.
XX. FIG. I. A, lead disk; B, brass button; C, brass bangle;
D, brass bangle; E, catlinite ornament; F, glass
bead; G, glass bead; H, blue glass bead from
Green Point Mound, Saginaw, Michigan.
FIG. 2. Tubular marine shell beads.
XXI. A-B, side and front views, respectively, of clay human
effigy tobacco pipe; C-D, incised sandstone disk;
E, iron axe; F, iron axe; G, section of silver cres
cent.
XXII. FIG. I. A, gorget of lead or pewter; B, crescent of silver;
C, mirror.
FIG. 2. A, slate spindle; B, pebble, probably whetstone;
C, strip of brass; D, punch of limestone; E, strip
of brass; F, slate bar.·
XXIII. A, gunflint; B, gunflint; C, flint for strike-a-light; D, gun
flint; E, strike-a-light flint; F, gunflint; G, pro
jectile point coated with red ochre.
XXIV. FIG. I. Blue glass beads with painted design.
FIG. 2. Blue glass beads with painted design.
XXV. Types of glass beads.
XXVI. Colors of glass beads from Old Birch Island and Great
Cloche Island.
