The Plett Homestead: Archaeology at Blumenhof December 5, 2009 – August 2, 2010 Auditorium, Mennonite Heritage Village In the summers of 2008 and 2009 archaeologists excavated the remains of the Cornelius and Sarah Plett homestead, which was inhabited from 1875 to 1906. The artifacts discovered at the site are on exhibit and matched with some items from the museum collections, providing a better idea of what life was like for the Pletts over one hundred years ago. Learn about the Plett family and what archaeology can tell us about history. For educators, please enquire about our Plett Site Edu-kit, an interactive kit for students to learn about historical archaeology and Mennonite pioneer families. This shoe belonged to a child aged 3-5 years old. It was discovered in a water-logged state at the bottom of the cellar of the Plett home, along with 18 other shoes. It is currently undergoing conservation at Parks Canada. Detailed photographs will be included in the exhibit until the preserved shoes are available in May, 2010. The Pletts brought some items with them from Imperial Russia in 1875, including some ceramic items. Both of these artifact fragments are known to be of Russian origin (learn more at the exhibit!). Small open sleigh bells such as these could be easily attached to harnesses, and were common until the 20th century.

“How Did This Get Here? Curiosities from the Collection” July 2009 - March 1, 2010 Temporary Gallery What do a 1,500 year-old Middle Eastern oil lamp, the dress of the Mother-in-Law of Lester B. Pearson, and a tropical “killing knife” have in common? They are all a part of the Mennonite Heritage Village collection. Sometimes artifacts arrive at a museum that, on the surface, don’t seem to fit into the collection very well. But if we dig deeper we can see some of the hidden connections between these unusual items and Mennonite history… This exhibit explores the museum’s collections for items from far away lands, strange inventions and hand-made creations, and investigates how they made it to the Mennonite Heritage Village. “Clay oil lamp, Late Roman/Byzantine AD 100-800, donated by Louise Guenther. Acc. No. 983.1.6”

Top Site sponsored by Derksen Printers Ltd.