A portion of a ring, part of a chief’s regalia and a Spanish coin were among items found.

CANTON – An archaeological dig conducted two years ago at Canton Point revealed many treasures of the area’s history, according to a recent presentation. Among the discoveries were a rare copper arrowhead, the signet or top portion of a ring worn by a Jesuit missionary, decorations worn by an American Indian chief, pieces of clay pottery, lead shot, glass trading beads, clay tobacco pipes and a Spanish coin dating from the 1700s.

Rick Will, operations manager for TRC Environmental Corp., and his team conducted the dig as part of the relicensing process for International Paper’s dams.

Federal law requires a scientific investigation of potentially impacted areas, particularly of possible archaeological or other cultural treasures. The finds the team discovered dated from the late 1600s to the early 1700s.

Will recently gave a presentation to IP workers and community members. According to historical records, there were about 300 permanent dwellings at Canton Point at its peak, he said. It was “very busy trading area because of its accessibility and its geographical location made it readily defensible,” Will said.

The location excavated by the archaeological team represented about 2 percent of the site. It centered in an area where a longhouse was built by the residents of the time. The team found the location of some of the longhouse’s posts that supported the structure.

Will said there were many sites like these in Maine and New England at the time, but many of them have vanished because cities were eventually built over them, thus destroying the archaeological evidence. Sites like Canton are “extremely important” because the archaeological evidence of who lived there and what their lives and culture were like is still accessible.

The American Indians moved around a great deal, according to Will. For example, a family might have summered in the Moosehead Lake region, moved to the Maine coast at some time in the year, and wintered further south, perhaps in the Cape Cod area.

Trading was intense, with furs being a premium item sought by European traders – mostly British and French, who were rivals and traveled throughout the area, including Canton Point.

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