The Wilford Site

The Wilford Site. . , Village Houses , The summer houses at both the Cooper and Wilford site appear to have been traditional Dakota bark lodges, as shown in the drawing below. The winter houses excavated here were also similar to those at the neighboring village – they were smaller rectangular structures with floors dug about two feet into the ground, with a central fire pit and elevated benches along the interior walls., Wilford Site Artifacts , Artifacts from the Wilford site excavations included stone tools, bone tools and pottery pieces. Also found here were European trade goods including glass beads, metal knives, cookware and "Jesuit rings.",

"Key objects found in the Wilford and Cooper sites are metal finger rings, called Jesuit rings, the French missionaries of the late 1600s gave to individuals living in the villages. They are key objects because they vary in their signet inscriptions and those inscriptions can be accurately dates." , Archaeologist Elden Johnson, "It is important to remember that what the rings represent is more valuable than the rings themselves. These "Jesuit rings" represent the relationship and alliance between the Dakota people of Mille Lacs and the French people." , Tim Blue, Education Director , Eci Nompa Woonspe, , Mdewakanton Dakota Community , Morton, Minnesota

, Digging Up Questions , Sometimes archaeology brings up questions, as well as answers. One house excavated here was quite different from the others. Unlike a typical Dakota bark lodge, this one appeared to have been like those of late prehistoric farming people along the Mississippi River to the south. Comparison of these data with other sites, and further research in the Mille Lacs region may someday shed light on the mystery of this different style of house.