Maine’s Sweet Grass
Pink Tourmaline Ring
I’ve told parts of this story before. I signed up and went on an archeological dig with the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor, Maine. It was a week-long dig on private property at the head of Frenchman’s Bay. The property was on a peninsula that jutted out into the bay.
I had always wanted to participate in an archeological dig. This dig was led by a Maine State archaeologist. There was a broad field with the owner’s grey shingled house at the far end with the ocean on three sides. We diggers were 350 feet away in a location that previous expeditions had explored before.
When I arrived on Monday morning, there were 20 participants. Areas were marked off with strings. The areas were neat squares, I think 4 feet x 4 feet. Arthur, our archaeologist, explained to us the significance of the spot. It was a contact-era Wabanaki campsite and village about 500 years old and older. Evidence had been found previously that hinted at Maine native people and European contact. Our mission was to dig further and find more evidence.
The amateur archeologists proceeded carefully, working slowly down through the layers.
Each plot had a recorder to note what was found, where, and at what level.
I was impressed with the precision and thoroughness of the excavation work. We were all volunteers but acted like professionals. Plots were marked off. Three people were assigned to each plot. We dug and feather-dusted our way down. We found hearthstones, shells, animal bones, several arrowheads, and most significantly, colored glass beads, proof of contact and trade with early Europeans.
It appeared our search was successful in establishing that there had been a real summer campsite and that our English ancestors had been there trading in beaver pelts and other things.
Sifting trays under tents in case of rain.
Wednesday of the week it rained, and we diggers worked at the Abbe Museum in their lab. At lunch, I went upstairs to view the museum. At the end of my tour, I visited their gift shop and bought a three-foot-long strand of woven sweetgrass. The following Monday, I brought the sweetgrass into Cross Jewelers and we began designing our first Sweetgrass ring. The design, with its hand-engraved strands, is beautiful.
Our favorite gem for this design is the Pink Maine tourmaline found in Maine’s western mountains. Pink Tourmaline is a native gem in Maine. The Sweetgrass ring is a Native American inspired design.
