Michigan's Copper Culture

Michigan's Prehistoric Copper Culture

In Michigan Prehistory, as far back as possibly 17,000 years ago, in Michigan's copper area, a prehistoric race or races of people mined and worked copper using primitive methods. Around 10,000 prehistoric Copper miners pits on the South Shore of Lake Superior and on Isle Royale attest to a large and thriving prehistoric culture based on Copper Mining in this area. Relatively little is known about these ancient miners, but, many theories abound regarding this group of prehistoric miners.

It is my goal to try to gather and examine these theories and to detail what is known about the Michigan Copper Culture from Michigan's Prehistory. Some of these theories may seem a little far fetched,, but, even if they are determined to be completely without any basis, they will be presented for your speculation.

I have speculations about an area that was most likdly a Prehistoric Lake Superior Port. Artifacts were found here and the needs of a population of miners would be perfectly met. It would have been sheltered from the lake with sheltered inlets to the harbor, Flat areas exist for a village and fresh water would have been provided by a stream. A high ridge behind the harbor would have made a great lookout and trails from the area went to the interior.

I have done extensive metal detecting in the area, and found a few copper and stone artifacts, The most likely village site would have been by the stream and most likely any traces are long gone due to seasonal flooding in the spring and the long period of time since it was abandoned. The lake level has changed a number of time since and the land has been rebounding from the last Ice Age.

Vanished Miners of Michigan

Da Yooper has been interested in the Prehistoric Copper Culture since 1982 and has talked to many people interested in this topic since. I have read all the books and articles I could get with any information concerning theories and speculation as well as actual finds and digs.

A number of the people I have talked to have extensive collections and are avid collectors of copper artifacts. Because of limited time, my collection consists of a couple broken Hammer Stones from the prehistoric pit on the Delaware Mine property, A large stone Pestal, an awl and a couple small hammered blanks from the Eagle Harbor, MI area.. This area was extensively hunted by at least one collector and I learned of it by accident. It has since become private property with homes on it.

I did purchase a nice copper arrowhead that was found on the banks of the Whitefish River near Rapid River, where I live and a spear point, (location found unknown), which I sold several years ago.

In roaming the Michigan's Copper Country, I have found many prehistoric pits that were left by Prehistoric Miners.. These pits vary in size and shope. Some are huge holes and others are a slit that followed a vein going through solid rock and barely wide enough for a man to get through. Many also have exploration trenches and exploration pits on top of the prehistoric pits that were left by the miners from the 1800's that were looking for copper. They knew enough to clean out the old pits and check to see if any copper was left.

I would like to hear and will post here any information or theory you may have. Please email any information, pictures of artifacts, theories and thoughts you may have concerning this Ancient Copper Culture to: Da Yooper.

Dr Henriette Mertz, in her book, "The Mystic Symbol," (1986) speculates that the ancient Phoenician mariners traveled to Upper Michigan to mine the extremely pure and abundant copper lodes to satisfy the demands of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. The mines of Sinai, she says had been played out by that time, and those of Crete were too meager. Records spoke of an alien red-skinned people linked with the import of copper and that it took three years for the ocean vessles to return with their copper. Mertz cites tablets found in Michigan with hieroglyphic and cuneiform writing, often dismissed as forgeries, as evidence of later contact with the Mediterranean.Michigan's mysterious Indian mounds

Reeder, John T. "Evidences of Prehistoric Man on Lake Superior." Vol. 30, (1906): 110-118.

Discusses ancient copper mines near Lake Superior. Contains his theory of an "ancient race of man" who mined the area 700-800 years earlier in a seasonal migratory pattern, since there was no evidence of towns or burial sites.Clarke Historical Library - Prehistory

Smith, Samuel. "Pre-historic and Modern Copper Mines of Lake Superior." Vol. 39, (1915): 137-151.

Describes technology of ancient miners, ancient uses of copper, trade routes and commodities, and other elements.Clarke Historical Library - Prehistory

Gillman, Henry. "The Mound Builders in Michigan." Vol. 2, (1880): 40-52.

Discusses ancient mounds, relics, burial items, the construction of tools, and mining processes at Isle Royal in Lake Superior.Clarke Historical Library - Prehistory

Other Information

Wonderful Power: The Story of Ancient Copper Working in the Lake Superior Basin.
Publication Date: 01-APR-02
Publication Title: American Antiquity
Author: Levine, Mary Ann
(learn more)

Michigan Prehistory Series

Copper Culture State Park & Museum

The Old Copper Culture

Ancient Mines of

Copper Culture Burial Site

Pre-European Peoples Of Wisconsin

Old Copper Phase

Kitchi-Gummi

Old Copper Culture Tools

Links to other Copper Culture Sites

Articles

Mound Builders