One of the interesting places Terry and I had time to visit in Old Quebec City was a display of recent excavations that uncovered artifacts that date back to early colonial times.
The cliff where these excavations took place was the site of the governors' residence.
Wandering through, we were able to catch a glimpse of some of life's necessities back then.
This photo shows a deep pool (on the right) which was really a large vat where river ice, cut in winter, was stored over the summer months. The ice was used to preserve meat.
The window above the excavation is a dome on the terrace near the Chateau Frontenac. It allows passers-by to peek down at some of the artifacts displayed below.
Some of the items on display included an official seal and a bottle used to hold smelling salts.
There were also dishes that would have been used by those who lived here 400 years ago.
The excavated area had a lot of ovens, reminding us that governors' residences weren't used merely built for a family of diplomats. It also would have housed a large contingent of soldiers.
The many fireplaces we saw may have been used simply for heating. It would have been cold in the massive mansion.
Perhaps every large room had some sort of fireplace,
Canada doesn't have a lot of old ruins - so this was an especially interesting place to visit.
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