Potential Pre-1846 Artifacts

These entries are primarily here to assist archaeologists in British Columbia to identify historic artifacts that could pre-date 1846. Why 1846, you ask? Because the BC Heritage Conservation Act as of April 2023 states that any archaeological site that pre-dates 1846 is protected by the law - if after that date, you have to get it designated as a heritage resource to have it protected. It is my belief that the majority of archaeologists in BC have trouble identifying the age of historic artifacts. This Pre-1846 page is for them. A note: most of the historical and artifact information placed here is about the English, because I read english - I don't read Spanish or Russian. However, there is the possibility of finding Russian, Spanish, or even Asian artifacts from before 1846.

VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF FIRST CONTACT WITH EUROPEANS AND THEIR GOODS:

Before 1846, European goods were already in demand and being provided to the First Nations of British Columbia. Before actual contact between the people of these cultures, goods would have been traded by Europeans to eastern First Nations groups and would make their way through trade routes from east to west. The fur trade began in earnest in eastern Canada in the early 1600s. Given a generous 100 years for demand in European goods to move across the country, it is safe to suggest that early European goods would have been known to Aboriginal peoples in British Columbia by the early 1700s. The first official record of explorers reaching the BC coast was in 1774 when a Spanish expedition caught sight of Haida Gwaii. By the 1790s, British explorers were, expectedly, reporting the use of European goods by the First Nations in British Columbia. From the east, the first recorded exploration to reach the British Columbia Coast was by Alexander Mackenzie's famous trip across the land in 1793 - ending just off Bella Coola at "Mackenzie's Rock". By the time Simon Fraser reached the slow, lower mainland portions of his namesake river 15 years later in 1808, he found the First Nations near the coast were already well supplied with European goods (Ormsby 1959:38). Individual European expeditions to BC would have left little evidence on the land, but they left sometimes detailed diaries that provide important information about how and when trade goods moved across the country.

The first maritime fur traders to the BC coast would have been the Russians. They were in Alaska by the 1740s and would have ventured further south for more otter pelts as resources became depleted in Alaska. Russian artifacts are possible on the BC Coast from ca. 1800 on - possibly earlier. The Russian Activity in Alaska and on the northwest coast is what prompted first the Spanish and British explorers and then the British and American fur traders into the are. Contact became more common as more Europeans came to BC and discovered the natural resources like lumber and coal that were available there.

LATER HISTORIC SITES MAKE US THINK THAT HISTORIC ARTIFACTS COME IN LARGE NUMBERS. BUT EARLY SITES WOULD HAVE THEM IN SMALL NUMBERS AND ANY MIXING OF EUROPEAN AND FIRST NATIONS ARTIFACTS (OR THE PRESENCE OF THE TYPES OF ARTIFACTS BELOW) IN THE GROUND OR ON THE SURFACE HAS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AS A POSSIBLE PRE-1846 SITE.

Laurelle's bottle IMG_8303 crop colour size square.jpg

Glass

Bottle Glass

Bottles with mould seams were made as early as Roman times, but in North American contexts you will find moulded bottles more frequently during the 18th century.

Bottle Glass

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Guns and Gun-Related Artifacts

Gunflints

Flintlock guns have been used since their invention in the early 1600s and were commonly used into the late 1800s. Gun flints can look like stone tools, but they are different

Gunflints

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Buttons

Pearl or Shell Buttons

The most common type of button you will find pre-1846 in British Columbia is probably the shell button - like those used on Northwest Coast blankets. But metal, ceramic, bone, and other materials could be found.

Buttons

Smoking paraphernalia

Clay Pipes

Made as early as the 16th century, European clay pipes had a resurgence in the 19th century. They are most often white, being made of Kaolin (the clay used to make porcelain). They will often have staining from the ash and smoke. I have found pipe stems in my garden from the 1920s or 1930s - often in this late period, they were used by children for blowing bubbles. Pipe stems could indicate a pre-1846 site, or any time before or up to 100 years later. They went out of fashion with the popularity of the cigarette.

Clay Pipes

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Nails

Machine Cut vs. Hand Forged

Unless it is a round nail (for sure), any square nail has the potential to date before 1846.

Historic Louisiana Nails - article good basic information

Brushes

Toothbrushes

The toothbrush has been used in various forms since 3000 BC. The Bristle brush was invented in China in 1498. The English first used the toothbrush in the late 1700s.

Article on toothbrushes from the LOC

Ceramics

Mocha Ware

Mocha Ware became popular in the late 1700s.

Ceramics

Bottle Glass

Chipped or Flaked Glass

Flaked glass is fairly common on historic sites. You need to be cautious in identifying it, but use-wear and atypical glass fractures can provide information on it.

Flaked Glass article

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Ceramics

Transfer Printed Ceramics

Transfer Printed ceramics first appeared in the 1700s and were made in England.

Ceramics

Sandi Ratch, M.A.

Potential Pre-1846 Artifacts