Ponton site cellars

Feature 4 prior to excavation in 2004 (looking east).  The orange surveyor flags are grid points, 1 meter apart.

This is a view of the profile of Feature 4 (looking south with the north half excavated).  The dark gray layer at the bottom contained many small artifacts that would have fallen through the floor boards of the cabin - pins, lead shot, percussion caps, etc.

Excavation of the south half of Feature 4.  The feature was excavated in 6 sections.

Photo of the floor of Level 5 of Feature 4 Section 5 showing in situ (in place) artifacts.  The bone is a cow bone with cut marks.

Photo of the floor of Level 6, Feature 4 Section 2 showing in situ artifacts.

Excavation of Feature 4 - plotting the depth of artifacts.

Perhaps the most interesting artifact from Feature 4 is this "homemade" toy canoe.  It was made by flatening a lead musket ball, bending up the sides, and crimping the ends.

Several fragments of this Brown Transfer plate were recovered from Feature 4.  This fragment has part of the pattern name "[Picturesque] Views / [Baker] Falls / [Hudson] River."  It was manufactured by James and Ralph Clews of Cobridge, England.  They were in business from 1817 to 1835.  In 1836 James Clews migrated to the United States and opened a pottery works in Troy, Indiana.

Several percussion caps or primers for igniting the charge in muzzleloading guns were found in Feature 4.  These were introduced in the early 1820's.  The Pontons had one of the first percussion guns documented in Michigan.  Slighty earlier in 1831 Alexis de Tocqueville went duck hunting in Saginaw with a percussion gun during his famous U.S. tour.

This photo shows a selection of brass pins recovered from Feature 4.

Glass bottle stopper recovered from Feature 4.

Facetted glass beads recovered from Feature 4.

Beginning of excavation of Feature 5 (north side).  Feature 4 was to the lower left outside the photo.

Excavation of Feature 5.

Excavation of Feature 5.