17th century Huron village life: insights from the copper-based metals of the Ball site, southern Ontario, Canada

► European metal objects from the Ball site, SW Ontario, were analysed by INAA. ► 204 samples were European copper, 90 red brass, 129 yellow brass, and 1 native copper. ► Two to three dozen partial or whole kettles were traded to the village. ► Copper may have been preferred over red brass and red brass over yellow brass. ► European metal was evenly distributed over earlier and later parts of the Ball site.