The Colony of Avalon in Ferryland is looking back on another season in the field, with more discoveries that are catching attention.
The archaeological dig site at what is among the earliest European settlements in North America is known for a series of interesting finds over the years and this year is no different.
This year archaeologists discovered wampum beads in a refuse deposit inside the old buttery dating back to the 1600s.
The beads, believed to have originated with an Indigenous group on the mainland, were made from quahog shells and were commonly used for trade.
Memorial University Archaelogy grad student Callum Bryden (Colony of Avalon)
MUN grad student made discovery
MUN grad student Calum Brydon made the discovery. It’s believed the beads made their way to Ferryland through trading between the mainland and English or Dutch merchants and helps to shed greater light on the settlement’s early days.
Colony of Avalon Executive Director Renee Hoolihan was on site when the discovery was made.
She says despite lying in the ground for hundreds of years, the beads were still a bright purple, “they were stunning.”
