A Comparison of Beads Recovered at Fort St. Joseph

Summary

This is a poster submission presented at the 2025 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Made of glass, ceramic, and bone, hundreds of beads have been recovered through archaeological excavations at Fort St. Joseph, an eighteenth-century mission, garrison, and trading post located in present-day Niles, Michigan. Beads were selected by residents of the fort for use and trade based on accessibility, functionality, and personal preferences. To gain a better understanding of these complexities, a comparison of all bead types recovered over the past twenty-five years at the site will be performed. This work expands on previous bead analyses at the site in hopes of learning more about their significance to people residing at the fort.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2025   •
• 2025 SHA Poster Submissions

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow