New Clues to Acadian Past Found at Grand Pré
Dr. Jonathan Fowler sifts through artifacts unearthed at Grand-Pré National Historic Site. 
Third year archaeology students, Mohammed Aljokhadar, David Jones and Colin Hicks use toothbrushes to clean bricks found in an old cellar. 
The ruins of a previously unknown 18th century house provide another piece in the puzzle for archaeologists studying the Grand-Pré National Historic Site. |
On Tuesday, June 21 news crews descended on Grand-Pré National Historic Site, where the discovery of the ruins of a previously unknown 18th century house may help shed new light on the life of Acadians prior to the 1755 Deportation.
The cellar of a wooden building was discovered by student archaeologists from Saint Mary’s University earlier this spring as part of ongoing work carried out by The Grand-Pré Archaeological Field School, an educational effort that has been headed by Saint Mary’s Archaeologist Dr. Jonathan Fowler since 2001.
“It is really quite exciting,” said Professor Fowler, while showing reporters some clay smoking pipes, pottery and broken glass that has been recovered this season. “The discovery restores a part of early history of Grand-Pré that had been forgotten. It offers clues about the daily lives of the community’s former inhabitants that are not recorded in the historical record. It may also help correct mistakes made by previous interpretations of the site’s history.”
Over the years, more than 100 students have trained in the field school project, digging up over 25,000 artifacts, including shoe buckles, musket balls, gun flints, pottery, coins, and a key.
A student work crew is on site excavating the stone cellar walls and working toward what they believe is the old cellar floor. It is premature to predict the size of the building, and Dr. Fowler’s work continues this week to determine the structure’s age. They hope to learn whether it was built by the Acadians prior to their 1755 Deportation, or by New England settlers who occupied the site after 1760.
The grounds of the national historic site contain archaeological remains dating from the earliest phases of the Acadian settlement, which began here in the 1680s, including the parish church of St-Charles, the cemetery, the priest’s house, and several other houses. While archaeologists have located many of these features, many others – including the parish church – have yet to be located.
After the Deportation of the Grand-Pré Acadians by New England troops in 1755, the community was resettled in 1760 by immigrants from Connecticut. Archaeological research is now revealing that at least some of the New England immigrants lived on what is now the Grand-Pré National Historic Site. Disentangling the Acadian and New England occupations is one of the challenges faced by archaeologists at Grand-Pré.
The Grand-Pré Archaeological Field School is organized by Saint Mary's University, in partnership with Parks Canada and the Société Promotion Grand-Pré. It provides students with practical training in archaeological field and lab methods, while at the same time enhancing the visitor experience and important research at one of Canada's best known national historic sites.
“I've always seen the teaching and learning component of the project as central," says Dr. Fowler. "Saint Mary’s is committed to student experiential learning, but it is also great to see that our work is really contributing to a clearer understanding of life at this pivotal time in our history."
An Opportunity to Participate
Parks Canada, Saint Mary’s University, and the Société Promotion Grand-Pré invite members of the public to participate in our ongoing archaeological research program this summer.
The Grand-Pré Public Archaeology Experience will take place between July 5-22 for participants aged 12 and over. The cost is $40 per person per day (taxes included).
For more information on participating in a dig, contact Victor Tétrault, Directeur général/Executive Director, Société Promotion Grand-Pré at (902) 542-1952.
To send an email requesting further information.
This page last modified Friday, 24-Jun-2011 11:47:35 ADT