archeology

Dig reveals secrets of cemetery resting under Rue de Buade

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

If the walls or streets of Old Quebec could talk, what stories they would tell! Archeologists, historians and guides have been telling their tales to curious tourists and locals for decades. For Archeology Month in August, the Ville de Québec even invited guided groups to visit and observe current archeological sites. On Aug. 29, the QCT visited the site on Rue De Buade, the former location of the Cimetière Sainte-Famille.

According to maps from the time presented to the public, the original Rue De Buade, named after Louis de Buade de Frontenac, was no more than a footpath in the early years of New France. Over the next few centuries, it grew into the natural extension of Côte de la Montagne. Since the excavation began on June 11, the city has made it a one-way street, travelling east to west.

As stated in a city press release in June, “This archeo- logical project aims to comprehensively excavate the northern half of Rue De Buade, an area with high archeological potential, little disturbed by modern underground infrastructure, even after being widened multiple times. It also includes the exhumation and documentation of graves of the former Sainte-Famille Cemetery, used between 1657 and 1842.”

The city hired a team of archeologists headed up by the GAIA archeological co-operative, led by Olivier Lalonde. “Even though the site is not deep, with the bedrock sitting only 1.5 metres beneath the surface, there is a lot of history here. We have learned that the Wendat people had settlements in many places, including in this specific area,” he said. “In case they might have buried their deceased here during the dozen years they were here in the 15th and 16th centuries, the community has requested people not to photograph the site, to respect their spirituality and culture.”

Lalonde and city archeologist Serge Rouleau, who guided the tour, brought the excavation site alive, tracing its four centuries of history from its time as a Wendat settlement, to Samuel de Champlain and his fellow settlers erecting a church, to the growing cemetery and widening of the adjacent footpath onto Rue De Buade.

Some parts of the story have been lost to history or have yet to be rediscovered through excavations like this one. People even hope to find the final resting place of Samuel de Champlain, who died on Dec. 25, 1635 and is said to be buried in the vicinity of the Basilica-Cathedral Notre- Dame-de-Québec.

Since June, Lalonde and his team of archeologists have excavated 40 to 50 of the 250 graves. It was fascinating to listen to the two archeologists tell the historical facts and stories of the cemetery that has been hidden beneath the modern streets for centuries. The lucky few given the privilege to look beyond the temporary enclosure can discover old stone walls, skeletal remains, broken bottles, tableware, disintegrating clothes and other items from New France and the British conquest.

According to Lalonde, the archeologists have mainly found skeletal remains of children, including infants and even fetuses. This con- firms the historical documentation and the story behind the name used from 1780 to 1842 – Cimetière des Enfants or Cimetière Sainte-Famille. While people of all ages were buried here starting in the mid-17th century, the smallpox epidemic of 1702 and 1703 hit children especially hard. Other diseases, like yellow fever, typhus and influenza, also caused numerous deaths. After 1842, the cemetery was abandoned because city and religious officials decided to establish cemeteries outside the city walls, which explains the locations of the cemeteries in Sillery, Sainte-Foy and Vanier. Stepping away from the excavation site and back into the present day, Quebecers will have to be patient for another four months. “We aim to complete our archeological work by December,” said Lalonde. “Thanks to this temporary structure protecting us from all weather, onlookers, photographers and vandals, we can continue to work in all conditions. Often, the most important information is found in the final days and discovered in post-research and analysis.”

Cathedral of the Holy Trinity shares treasures during Archeology Month

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Quebec City celebrates its rich history by dedicat- ing the month of August to archeology. From Aug. 1 to 31, the public can discover and rediscover the secrets, skeletons and stories of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As the QCT reported in June, major excavations are currently underway at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity as part of the Cathedral Gardens project and of ongoing renovations to shore up a centuries-old wall surrounding the cathedral complex. As part of Archeology Month, residents have an opportunity to meet archeologists and learn more about the dig. “Before any construction can happen in and around historic sites like the Old City, archeologists and their team do the initial digs to retrieve any and every item from past dwellers and users,” said the assistant archeologist at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity site, Eli Blouin Rondeau. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure cannot be any truer. Behind the presbytery and the church hall, we are digging through [what would have been] the garbage pit.

“It is hard to distinguish items from the New France era and the British era without further analysis and research, because they ate similar meats, just slightly different cuts. Some of their dishes are similar, too,” said Blouin Rondeau. “It is these subtle differences that fascinate me and tell us so much about these everyday people of a different age.”

Speaking with Blouin Rondeau, people can learn that this site was originally used as a hospice by the Récollet order. It later became a monastery and a general hospital for just over a century, when the British took over. By the time they were evicted, they had constructed a church and a monastery that were both destroyed during the Conquest of 1759. Buildings were reconstructed for military usage and as a prison for invading American soldiers. The site then burned down, leaving space for the construction of the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the presbytery, the church hall and the courthouse, which still stand today.

While the dig sites are not generally open to the public, passersby are invited to discover some of the artifacts at the display table near the main entrance of the cathedral from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except during lunch hour. The archeology-related activities at the cathedral are part of a long list of free activities organized by or in partnership with the Ville de Québec for Archeology Month. Although the activities are open to the public, many require registration in advance because of space limitations. Visit blogue.ville.quebec.qc.ca/decouvrir/plongez-dans-le-passe-de-quebec-avec-le-mois-de-larcheologie (in French only) to learn more.

On Aug. 29 and 30, people can learn about the archaeo- logical site on the Rue de Buade. On Sept. 20, the City offers a tour of the Cathedral-Basilica Notre-Dame de Québec and its funeral crypt. There’s also a talk on the his- tory of cemeteries, 17th- and 18th-century funeral rites and this archaeological site given by archaeologist Paul- Gaston Langlais.

The Îlot des Palais has an ongoing special exhibit, and the Maison des Jésuites has a day dedicated to aspiring archeologists on Aug. 23. There is so much to discover within the walls and ground of Quebec City.