Mantle Site, Wendat Ancestral Village, Ancient Indigenous settlement in Whitchurch-Stouffville, Canada.
The Mantle Site is an archaeological area containing the remains of nearly 100 longhouse structures that were protected by a multi-row wooden palisade for defense. The settlement spreads across several hectares and shows evidence of careful, organized community planning.
The settlement was inhabited from the late 1500s to the early 1600s and served as an important hub for trade across the Great Lakes. During this period, the community grew and developed extensive trading networks that reached distant regions.
Ceramic vessels discovered here feature human and animal designs that reflect the community's connections to neighboring nations through trade and shared artistic traditions. These artifacts show how daily objects carried meaning and helped maintain relationships with other Indigenous peoples across the region.
The site is best visited in dry conditions, as walking paths wind through wooded terrain where the ground can become muddy. Plan to spend enough time to explore the different sections of the excavation area on foot.
Among the archaeological finds are early European items including copper beads and an iron axehead from Basque traders, making them the earliest evidence of European contact in the region. These objects reveal that trade with overseas merchants began centuries before widespread European settlement arrived.
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