Reconsidering the Antiquity of Trade on Madeline Island: A View from the Cadotte Site in Northern Wisconsin

Abstract

The Cadotte site, excavated in 1961, is often cited in archaeological and ethnohistorical literature as an example of a short term, mid-seventeenth century refugee encampment of the Huron and/or Odawa circa 1660–1670. A closer examination of the site assemblage has resulted in a reassessment of the general assumptions regarding the site and its use by Huron and Odawa during the mid-seventeenth century. The ceramic assemblage indicates that the site was occupied much earlier and for a longer period than previously understood, circa 1620–1670. This is supported by the European trade goods assemblage. It is also argued that the site served a specialized function, as a place of seasonal rendezvous for the Ontario Odawa and their central Algonquin trading partners. Further, the character of the pottery suggests that a portion of the sample may reflect Algonquin mimicry of Ontario Wendat traditions. The revised understanding of the time depth and function of the site, as well as the character of its associated ceramic assemblage, has also prompted the reconsideration of the identity of the Algonquin groups who visited the island, and the antiquity of the Ojibwe presence at this locale.