Archaeologists have unearthed an 18th century serpent sideplate from a British trade gun at a historic Mackinaw City fort.
MLive.com reports the piece was found last Tuesday in Fort Michilimackinac. It measures nearly 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) long and is believed to date back to the 1770s.
Lynn Evans, curator of archaeology at Mackinac State Historic Parks, says only four gun parts have been found in that particular location in 12 years.
The latest finding is part of a long-running archaeological program. Excavations take place seven days a week for 12 weeks in the summer, giving visitors a chance to watch archaeology in action.
Fort Michilimackinac is a reconstructed 18th-century fur trading village on the Straits of Mackinac. Over the centuries, the area was home to Native Americans, the French and the British.
