Trading Copper Kettles
A copper kettle banded with iron and copper was found at a Mik’maq burial site in the lower Great Lakes. This did look more like a trashcan with a handle (see picture). This kettle originated from Basque ports in southern France between 1580 and 1600.
Following John Cabot's historic voyage in 1497 from London to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and thereby opening up the trade routes with the indigenous peoples in the following century the Europeans would trade copper kettles, woollen blankets, iron knives, and the other products of early modern Europe with the Mi'kmaq for furs.
