An archaeological view of the French colonial port of Québec

Abstract

In this paper the remains of the first harbour front discovered on the Îlot Hunt in Québec are discussed in relation to evidence found on other sites in the city's Lower Town. These remains throw light on the nature of the French colonial port, testifying to the initiatives of its merchants and the actions of its colonial authorities. Structures built during the British regime by merchants belonging to the Lymburner family provide an example of the kind of innovative facilities that inaugurated the disappearance (c. 1775–80) of the harbour front developed during the French colonial era.

In this paper the remains of the first harbour front discovered on the Îlot Hunt in Québec are discussed in relation to evidence found on other sites in the city's Lower Town. These remains throw light on the nature of the French colonial port, testifying to the initiatives of its merchants and the actions of its colonial authorities. Structures built during the British regime by merchants belonging to the Lymburner family provide an example of the kind of innovative facilities that inaugurated the disappearance (c. 1775–80) of the harbour front developed during the French colonial era.

Dans cet article, les vestiges de la première devanture portuaire découverte à l'Îlot Hunt à Québec sont étudiés en relation avec les indices trouvés sur d'autres sites de la basse ville de la cité. Ces vestiges jettent la lumière sur la nature du port colonial français, témoignant des initiatives de ses marchands et des actions de ses autorités coloniales. Les structures construites au cours du régime britannique par des marchands de la famille Lymburner fournissent un exemple des infrastructures innovantes qui inaugurent la disparition (vers 1775–80) du port développé au cours de la période coloniale française.

In dieser Arbeit werden die Reste der ersten Hafenfront, die auf der Îlot Hunt in Quebec gefunden wurden, im Zusammenhang mit anderen Überresten in der Unterstadt behandelt. Diese Überreste werfen ein Licht auf die Natur des französischen Kolonialhafens und zeugen von der Initiative der Kaufleute und den Handlungen der kolonialen Behörden. Bauten, die unter dem britischen Regime von zur Lymburner-Familie gehörigen Kaufleuten gebaut wurden, sind Zeugen neuartiger Einrichtungen, die das Verschwinden (ca. 1775–80) der alten Hafenfront aus der französischen Kolonialzeit einläuteten.

Questo contributo discute i resti del primo fronte del porto, scoperti a Îlot Hunt nella città di Quebec, in relazione a quanto emerso in altri siti nella parte bassa della città. Questi resti gettano luce sulla natura del porto coloniale francese, testimoniando le iniziative dei suoi mercanti e le azioni delle autorità coloniali. Le strutture costruite durante il regime britannico dai mercanti della famiglia Lymburner forniscono un esempio del tipo di strutture innovative che portano alla scomparsa del fronte del porto (c. 1775–80) sviluppato durante il periodo dell'era coloniale francese.

En este artículo se consideran los restos del primer puerto descubierto en el Îlot Hunt en Quebec en relación con evidencia derivada de otros yacimientos en la Cuidad Baja de la ciudad. Dichos restos nos informan sobre el tipo y carácter del puerto colonial francés, sobre las iniciativas de sus comerciantes y sobre las acciones de las primeras autoridades coloniales. Las estructuras construidas durante el período británico por comerciantes de la familia Lymburner son un ejemplo del tipo de facilidades innovadoras que marcaron la desaparición (c. 1775-80) de la primera línea del puerto creada durante la era colonial francesa.