The background image focuses on the Pool, strongly reinforcing the Fishery theme, and providing a visual link to the archaeological site.

The star artifact graphic, the fish hooks, are the visual link to a tangible element of the theme. Other inset images reinforce the fishery story by showing the resource (cod) and a typical processing station.

Theme Text
Portuguese, Breton and Norman fishermen were active here by 1520. After 1570, English West- Country fishermen made Ferryland and Tors Cove major summer fishing stations. Living in simple camps, they caught cod with baited hooks from inshore fishing boats. They unloaded catches at their fishing stages and dried the salt fish on convenient cobble beaches. In August, they set sail for Europe, leaving boats and stages behind. The Beothuk, who also visited Ferryland during this period, used such equipment as a source of iron to rework as arrowheads and other tools.

Ferryland had close connections with the Devon ports of Dartmouth, Barnstaple and Bideford and the New England fishing town of Salem—links expressed in migration as well as commerce. At least 24 south Avalon families settled before 1670. Some had come to Newfoundland with George Calvert. The 30 men, women and children who stayed on in 1629, when he left, were among our earliest European settlers.

Star Artifact
Fish Hooks. Such early fish hooks had no eyes -- they were lashed to a line and baited in order to catch the cod. These 17th century hooks are identical in style to hooks used in medieval England. (CgAf-2: 8066 25602 43974, Waterfront, after 1650)

Display Case
See Artifact List.

Unidentified (Breton?) Coarse Earthenware Cookpot CgAf-2: 126064 etc. Below Smithy Area, about 1550

Beothuk "Debitage": debris from manufacture of stone tools Beothuk Hearth under Smithy Area, 1520-1570

Fragment of Stone for sharpening hooks CgAf-2: 41977abd - Waterfront, 1650-1675

Iron Gaff for moving fish CgAf-2: 97348 - Smithy Area, 1660-1700

Lead Weights - CgAf-2: 49005 58148 Waterfront, 1680-1700

Large Lead Weight (suitable for bait seine) CgAf-2: 21509 - Waterfront, 1670-1700

Drawer 1

Lead Weights -- for Fishing Line CgAf-2 various Waterfront, Planter House, Fort 1600-1800

Technology of the Fishery - The weights, hooks, and lines used in the 17th century fishery, as well as the metal prongs or "pews" used to move the fish, with the knives to split them, were a medieval technology, outmoded only in the 20th century.
See Artifact List.

Drawer 2

Ground Slate Adze CgAf-2: 104307 - Beothuk Hearth, 1520-1570

Beothuk Visitors - The many Beothuk artifacts excavated near a 16th century hearth confirm the presence of Newfoundland's Native people at Ferryland. The European fishery may have attracted the Beothuks, who prized the iron fastenings in the boats and stages that migratory crews left behind annually when they returned to Europe.
(CgAf-2: Events 186/7 and 191, stone artifacts, Beothuk, 1500-1600.)
See Artifact List.

Drawer 3
Early Ferryland Families - Founding members of the Davis, Lee, Love, Poole and Taylor families were among the Avalon colonists of the 1620s, names which survived in the region until the later 17th century. The Kirkes settled in the 1630s. Documents list many other early inhabitants.

© 1999, Colony of Avalon Foundation.

Revised March 2002.