Fur-Trade Period Animal Ceremonialism at the Grand Village of the Meskwaki

The Bell site was the principal village of the Algonquian-speaking Meskwaki from ca. A.D. 1680 to 1730. Based on collected ethnohistoric data, it is hypothesized that the Meskwaki saw bears and dogs as spiritually important animals and expressed this view through differential treatment of their remains. The results suggest that discard behaviors for bears were unique and that their remains may be indicative of ritual feasting. Meanwhile, comparison of features with dog remains to features with bear remains does not show clearly comparable behaviors in most cases. Ethnohistoric and ethnographic data suggest that dogs played an important role as spiritual conduits for the Meskwaki and their neighbors, but the archaeological data are not unequivocal.