East Meets West: An East Indian token in the Western Colonies

Summary

In 1820 the Ontario House was built in Niagara Falls and functioned as a hotel and tavern. In addition to providing a location for travelers to drink and lodge the Ontario House, as many other local establishments did, billeted soldiers. One map shows that soldiers were billeted at the Ontario House in 1838 (42nd regiment), and texts indicate that soldiers from the 67th regiment were also billeted there in 1841. The excavation of the midden and features of the Ontario House produced a large assemblage including ceramics, buttons, tokens, and military accoutrements. Of particular interest is an East Indian token found in the natural topsoil, which can be associated with the 67th regiment’s brief occupation of Ontario House in 1841. This paper addresses the significance of this and associated finds in regards to the global movement of the regiment and the socio-political context of Ontario House within the regional history.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Small Finds, Big Implications: the Cultural Meaning of the Littlest Artifacts   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-13,02