Written by the TreasureGuide for he exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
The 66th season of excavation at Michilimackinac has started with a bang. Team members at Mackinac State Historic Parks announced they found a brass trade ring while digging Tuesday morning.
“We had a nice find this morning, a brass trade ring,” a social media post read. “Although these rings are sometimes referred to as ‘Jesuit rings,’ by the 18th century they were strictly secular trade goods.”
The ongoing dig at Colonial Michilimackinac started in 1959, making it one of the longest ongoing projects of its kind...
Here is the link for more of that article.
Archaeologists find brass ring at Michilimackinac site (msn.com)
Interesting that they started the dig in 1959. Seems like if they find anything they lost in 1959 it would almost be an artifact.
Anyhow it shows once again that there is always more to be found.
I was out on a bottle hunt where I've hunted it seems like 100 times, but I'm still finding old things that get uncovered in those same places.
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There is a great web site showing quite a variety of artifacts from colonial Maichilimackinac. Below are just a few of the many examples of artifacts shown on that site. First here is an excerpt.
Jesuit missionaries encouraged Native Americans to learn Bible verses and sections of catechism with rewards of beads, rings and other tokens. Early Jesuit rings were cast and had religious symbols. Over the course of the eighteenth century these brass rings lost their religious symbolism and became cheaply made trade items. The ring faces shown are examples of these later designs. The heart with arrows probably comes from Sacred Heart designs. The “LV” may come from an early L-heart design representing devotion to Louis, king of France or Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order. The “IXXI” design appears to have evolved from a double M design, for Mater Misericordia, Mother of Mercy. MS2.58.9, MS2.1217.2, MS2.1655.19.
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| Rings and Pendant. |
Brass religious medallions had a personal, rather than trade meaning. Medals depicting many saints have been found at Michilimackinac. This medal shows Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, better known as the Jesuits. Jesuit missionaries were a vital part of the community. The letters surrounding Ignatius are “S IGAC FVI DA SOC” for “Saint Ignatius founder of the Society.” Saint Ignatius is shown holding a tablet with the letters “AD MAIO.” These are the first letters of “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam,” which means to the greater glory of God, a Jesuit motto. The Virgin Mary is pictured on the reverse side. MS2.1
Here are some trade goods shown in the same article.
I highly recommend taking a look at this site for a good variety of colonial artifacts.
Here is the link.
And of course you'll want to consult Deagan's book Artifacts of the Spanish Colonies of Florida and the Carribean, 1500 - 1800.
I've posted trade good and religious rings from that book before.
Here is one of those links.
Numerous rings have been found on Treasure Coast beaches. I've commented several times on a statement made by one of the most accomplished treasure salvors that silver rings have never been found on 1715 Fleet wrecks. I've pondered the many old corroded silver rings found on the Treasure Coast beaches and where they came from.Good hunting,