Lecture - Pointe-à-Callière's 2,000 glass beads: a History of Trading

When small objects tell the big story of Montreal: Exploring culture, fashion and trade through the study of glass beads

Behind simple glass beads lies a fascinating story of fashion, cultural preferences and exchanges between early French settlers and native peoples. Imported from Europe as early as the XVIIᵉ century, these tiny objects contain crucial data, hidden behind their apparent banality. To get them talking, you just need to know how to approach them: colors, shapes, microscope observations, and a few touches of science. Just as scientists in TV series can reveal minute details, glass beads tell the story of transatlantic voyages, of the links between French settlers and native populations, and of daily life in Montreal, under the eye of archaeologists. More specifically, we'll look at the beginnings of Ville-Marie and the essential role these objects played in the cultural and economic dynamics of the period.

A journey to the heart of early transatlantic trade.

Vincent Delmas

Vincent Delmas is a terrestrial and underwater archaeologist. With a master's degree in history from the Université de Nice and a doctorate in anthropology from the Université de Montréal, he has focused his research on the cultural identity of the Basques in the St. Lawrence between the 16th and 18th centuries. His archaeological interventions have led him to work on a variety of terrestrial and underwater sites in Quebec, British Columbia, Labrador and Croatia. He regularly collaborates with institutions such as Pointe-à-Callière, Parks Canada and the Smithsonian Institute. Passionate about material history and the transmission of knowledge, he combines research, project management and scientific popularization. In 2025, he began a new doctorate in history at the Université de Sherbrooke, co-directed by Adelphine Bonneau, on the subject of glass beads in the colonial context of Montreal.

Adelphine Bonneau

Adelphine Bonneau is an assistant professor at the Université de Sherbrooke, where she holds a bifaculty position shared between the Department of Chemistry and the Department of History. This dual affiliation underlines her atypical profile, as she is both an archaeologist and an archaeometer, i.e. a scientist of archaeological materials. Her research focuses on the study and dating of artifacts and colored materials from the past, particularly glass beads. Her projects have taken her to Quebec, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa to study these small objects in a wide variety of contexts: cemeteries, dwellings, production workshops, shipwrecks and pirate hideouts.

2024-2025 Annual Campaign Lecture Cycle

As part of our annual campaign Fascinating Research, Captivating Stories, we invite you to discover the Museum's exciting projects at exclusive lectures. Meet our dedicated researchers and hear their fascinating stories of our rich heritage. When you buy a ticket, you are contributing directly to the advancement of research: 100% of the funds raised will be donated to Pointe-à-Callière's research projects .

By supporting research, you are doing more than simply donating. You are directly contributing to the enhancement of our shared heritage, helping to preserve and promote the history that unites us.

This event is organized by the Pointe-à-Callière Foundation.