Archaeology team digs up gleaming glass buttons from 1700s at Michigan site. ‘Amazing’

Kaitlyn Alanis
Mackinac State Historic Parks

Archaeologists unearthed a pair of gleaming glass buttons while digging through part of an 18th-century fort and fur trading village.

The “amazing” treasure was discovered as a team excavates a former home of the Southeast Rowhouse at Colonial Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City, Michigan.

The historic buttons were found on Aug. 10, just 10 days before the summer archaeological field season comes to an end.

“We are still finding interesting artifacts,” Dr. Lynn Evans, curator of archaeology with Mackinac State Historic Parks, said in a news release. “This set of joined sleeve buttons, like a modern cufflink, was found in the 1781 demolition rubble layer.

“The green glass paste ‘stones’ are set in brass,” she continued.

They were found at House E, which was first home to fur trader Charles Henri Desjardins de Rupallay de Gonneville, according to the state park. It was later home to an unidentified English trader.

“Numerous exciting finds have been made at the site in recent years, including a Compagnie des Indes lead seal dating between 1717 and 1769, a brass sleeve button with an intaglio bust on it, a potential structural post dating to the original 1715 fort, (an) engraved ‘Jesuit’ trade ring, a brass serpentine sideplate for a British trade gun; complete remnants from a creamware plate; and many other items,” according to the news release.

This year, during the 64th archaeological field season, archaeologists have uncovered several treasures, including:

  • Part of a red earthenware bowl

  • A brass weight marked with “GR” and a crown for the king

  • Another brass weight stamped with a fleur-de-lis, which was part of nesting apothecary weights

  • And a King’s 8th button

Archaeologists have continued excavating Michilimackinac each summer since 1959, officials say, making this one of the longest-running excavations across the country.

Guests can visit Colonial Michilimackinac, at the northern tip on Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, and watch archaeologists as they dig each season. The site also offers tours, demonstrations and exhibits.

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