Gunflints
Gallery Location
Not on View
Maker
Euro-Canadian (Fur Trade)
Medium
Flint
Geography
Ontario, French River, Grand Parisien Rapids
Date
c. 1690-1750 AD
Period
Colonial (1700-1850 AD)
Dimensions
2.3 x 1.9 x 0.5; 2.5 x 2 x 0.5; 2.9 x 2.2 x 0.7 cm
Object number
962.258.482
Collection
Department
Art & Culture: Archaeology of the Americas
Description
Three small gun spalls (wedge-shaped gunflint with a curved heel) of French origin likely produced in the first half of the 18th century. It was recovered from the bottom of the French River (Grand Parisien Rapids) along with other fur trade commodities in 1962. The current interpretation for these objects is that they sank to the bottom of the river during canoe accidents. Gunflints were important both as trade items and as ammunition for military outposts.
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