Bell Site facts for kids

The Bell Site is an exciting archaeological site in Wisconsin, USA. It was once a village of the Native American Meskwaki tribe. People lived here between 1680 and 1730 A.D. Archaeologists study this site to learn about the Meskwaki way of life. They are especially interested in how the Meskwaki people viewed animals like bears and dogs. Finds at the site help us understand their eating habits and special ceremonies.

The Bell Site: A Look at an Ancient Village

The Bell Site covers about 44.5 acres of land. A smaller, 18.6-acre area was a village surrounded by a tall fence called a palisade. This village sat on a 60-foot high bank overlooking a lake. Over time, the land has changed a lot. However, archaeologists have found enough remains to identify many important features.

Modern mapping tools, like GIS (Geographic Information System), helped find old defense walls. French explorers first wrote about these walls in 1716. Many tools and other items were also found scattered around the site. This suggests that people made these items right there in the village.

Who Were the Meskwaki?

The Meskwaki people are also known as the Fox tribe. They spoke a language called Algonquian. The Meskwaki were farmers, growing many crops. Other Algonquian-speaking groups often saw bears and dogs as very important in their spiritual practices.

The Meskwaki originally lived in Michigan. In the mid-1700s, they moved to Northern Wisconsin. They were not allowed to join the fur trade with the French. So, they moved to Southern Wisconsin to take part in it. They settled near important rivers and lakes.

The Meskwaki became very powerful in trade and politics. This caused problems with the French and other tribes. The Meskwaki sometimes sided with their enemies' enemies to create more tension. Their main village, the Grand Village, was attacked twice. These attacks happened in 1716 and 1728. But the Meskwaki rebuilt their village each time. In 1730, the French and their Native American allies finally defeated the Meskwaki. Many Meskwaki people left Wisconsin. The few who stayed settled in southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois.

Animals and Spirits: A Special Connection

Old writings tell us about the strong bond Native American people had with animals. This was especially true for groups around the Great Lakes. They believed that certain animals had spirits as powerful as humans. If honored correctly, these animal spirits could bring good things. These benefits were not just physical but also spiritual.

Bears: Strong and Sacred

Bears were very special in Meskwaki ceremonies. They represented great hunting skills, healing powers, and even danger. After a bear was hunted, specific rituals were performed with its body parts. People might wear bear skins for a dance. They hoped to gain the bear's healing abilities. The bear bones were carefully buried with decorations. They were often placed high up. This was to stop other animals from disturbing them. Disturbing the bones could make the bear's spirit angry.

Dogs: Companions and More

Dogs had different levels of spiritual importance over time. Some dogs were buried, while others were sacrificed. Some believed dogs had souls like humans. They thought dogs could connect the spirit world with the physical world. This is why dogs were often companions. Some people were even buried with their dogs. The dogs were meant to guide them in the afterlife. In the early 1900s, some Meskwaki believed eating dogs could give them the dogs' spiritual powers. So, they ate dogs during special ceremonies.

Digging Up the Past: Excavations at the Bell Site

Systematic digs at the Bell Site began in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Neil Ostberg led what is called salvage archaeology. He dug up areas that were in danger of being destroyed. He uncovered hundreds of features, including a wall and a burial site.

In 1959, Warren Wittry led a major excavation. He found new living areas. He was the first to connect this site to the Meskwaki Grand Village. A lot of the digging and study of animal remains was done with help from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the 1990s.

What Was Found at the Bell Site?

Archaeologists found pottery made with crushed shells in some pits. Using a method called AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry), they dated these to the Mississippian Period. This method uses carbon to find out how old things are. Burnt corn remains also helped confirm these dates.

They chose 27 pit features to study. These pits were usually used as trash bins. Archaeologists used special methods like floatation and soil screening. They carefully looked for remains of bears and dogs.

Very few bear remains were found compared to other animals. This supports the idea that bears were sacred. Mostly skulls were found. This suggests bear remains were buried with great care. Areas with bear remains also had many different plant and animal remains. This often means that feasting activities took place there.

Dog remains were much more common and varied. They were found in over half of the 27 pits. Most dog remains showed signs that they were eaten. They were found with other discarded food. Most dog remains were scattered. They did not make up large parts of the pits. How dogs were treated varied across different sites. Some were buried, and others were sacrificed.