Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

PREFACE

This report records all of the excavated materials (artifacts) found on Colonial Lot 48 in Block 18 incidental to the archaeological excavations made in 1938 and 1952 by Colonial Williamsburg.

The "artifacts" are marked "18-H" and are stored in the Archaeological Laboratory under object classification or site designation.

No effort has been made to restore or reconstruct potsherds, only basic preservation treatment has been accorded the most interesting material and only a superficial analysis of the "find" has been made.

Except for some of the type found in the excavations of 1938 none of the material is of particular significance in the collection of artifacts of Colonial Williamsburg.

It gives me pleasure to furnish you with a report descriptive of the archaeological material that I have seen from the Virginia Gazette Site (18-H), described by categories and illustrated by examples shown on ten accompanying photographic plates. A statistical report also furnished gives a quantitative appraisal of the collection.

The material on the whole shows but few evidences, apart from the type and the bookbinder's tools recovered from this site, to set it apart from artifacts found at almost any Williamsburg house site of the Colonial period.

18-H - Virginia Gazette Site

LEGEND FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL REPORT - ARTIFACTS

• 1.Military Goods
• 2.Tolls and Implements
• 3.Harness and Horse Furniture
• 4.Household Hardware
• 5.Cabinet Hardware
• 6.Builders' Hardware
• 7.Nails, Spikes
• 8.Hinges
• 9.Locks and Keys
• 10.Miscellaneous

• 1.Buckles
• 2.Ornaments
• 3.Spurs, Harness
• 4.Bronze Winecocks
• 5.Buttons, Coins
• 6.Fire Irons
• 7.Cabinet Hardware
• 8.Watches, Clocks
• 9.Military
• 10.Candlesticks and Snuffers
• 11.Household Utensils
• 12.Hardware
• 13.Miscellaneous

Artifacts Chart

IRON:

TYPE 1: MILITARY GOODS

• 2 snaphaunce gunlocks; cat.nos. 1-178-18H and 1-179-18H (Pl. VII, Nos. 5-6).

TYPE 2: TOOLS, IMPLEMENTS

• 1 hoe, fragmentary and unprocessed.
• 1 shovel, fragmentary, cat.no. 2-461-18H (Pl. I, No. 15).
• 1 S-shaped handle for a rotary grinder, cat.no. 3-319-18H (Pl. I, No. 3).
• 1 unprocessed handle, similar to the foregoing item.
• 1 lathing hatchet, unprocessed (Pl. I, No. 16).
• 1 tool of undetermined use, with forked handle ending in a hook on one tip; fragmentary; cat.no. 4-401-18H (Pl. I, No. 4).

TYPE 3: HARNESS, HORSE FURNITURE

• 1 axle sleeve, 5 ¾" long; cat.no. 3-317-18H.
• 2 bridle bits, fragmentary; cat.nos. 3-320-18H Pl. I. No. 31); and 3-321-18H.
• 1 horseshoe, fragmentary; cat.no. 3-361-18H Pl. I, No. 32).
• 1 ring, diam. 2 ½"; cat.no. 3-322-18H.
• 1 stirrup, unprocessed.

TYPE 4: HOUSEHOLD HARDWARE

• 1 cast andiron top, 7 ¼" long, fragmentary, unprocessed.
• Page 2
• 2 hinged fire-tongs, fragmentary; one is 6 ½" long (Pl. I, No. 24); and bears cat.no. 4-37618H, while the other is 5" long and is unprocessed.
• 1 fire shovel handle, fragmentary, 18" long; cat.no. 10-123-18H.
• 2 pair of cranehooks (?) for pots; one is 14 ¼" long, the other is 11" long, and both are unprocessed. (See Pl. I, No. 30 for photograph of 11" cranehook.)
• 1 pan-handle, 9 ½" long, with brads for attachment to vessel; cat.no. 2-424-18H.
• 4 scissor fragments, of which one processed pr. bears cat.no. 2-460-18H (note one pair of scissors illustrated in Pl. I, No. 23).
• 1 cast pot-leg; cat.no. 4-4oo-18H.
• 1 pot-hook, fragmentary; cat.no. 9-680-18H.
• 1 bucket bail 7" long; cat.no. 5-30-18H.
• 1 squared spike, 8" long, with flattened, perforated butt end; cat.no. 4-377-18H (Pl. I, No. 2).
• 2 bone-handled table knives, fragmentary, unprocessed (Pl. I. No. 7).
• Page 3
• 1 fork handle, fragmentary, unprocessed (Pl,. I, No. 6).
• 1 charred wooden handle for knife or fork, fragmentary, unprocessed.

TYPE 5: CABINET HARDWARE

• 2 chest handles, fragmentary, of which one is catalogued as 4-378-18H and is processed (Pl. I, No. 22); while the other is unprocessed.

TYPE 6: BUILDERS, HARDWARE

• 1 L-shaped clamp, perforated at one end; cat.no. 6-280-18H.
• 1 curved brace, shaped; cat.no. 9-678-18H Pl. I, No. 25).

TYPE 7: NAILS AND SPIKES

• 1 spike, 7" long; cat.no. 7-326-18H.
• 1 spike, 5 ¼" long; cat.no. 7-327-18H (Pl. I, No. 28).
• 1 spike, 5 ½" long., unprocessed.
• 2 spikes, 4 ½" long, unprocessed.
• 1 curved "meat hook". unprocessed (Pl. I, No. 20).
• 1 nail, 2" long; cat.no. 7-354-18H.
• 1 staple, 4" in overall length; cat.no. 7-360-18H Pl. I, No. 29).
• 1 staple, 4 ¾" in overall length, unprocessed.

TYPE 8: HINGES

• 1 strap hinge, 13" long, fragmentary; cat.no. 8-504-18H (Pl. I, No. 27).
• 1 strap hinge, 11" long, fragmentary; cat.no. 8-505-18H.
• 1 strap hinge, 10" long; cat.no. 8-507-18H.
• 1 H-hinge, fragmentary; cat.no. 8-506-18H (Pl. I, No. 19).
• 1 H-hinge, fragmentary and unprocessed.
• 1 pintle and strap, fragmentary; cat.no. 8-55118H.

TYPE 9: LOCKS AND KEYS

• 1 key, 6" long; cat.no. 9-677-18H (Pl. I, No. 21).
• 1 key-handle, 4" long., fragmentary and unprocessed.
• 1 key fragment, 3" long, unprocessed.
• 1 lock, 8" long, fragmentary; cat.no. 9-682-18H (Pl. I, No. 18).
• 1 lock, 5" x 3 ¼" fragmentary; cat.no. 9-681-18H.
• 1 padlock face-plate; cat.no. 9-679-18H.'
• 1 padlock, fragmentary and unprocessed.
• 1 lock face-plate, 4 ¾" x 4 ¼'.; cat.no. 9-740-18H.
• 1 lock bolt, 5 ½" long; cat.no. 9-739-18H.
• 1 chest lock, 2 ¼ x 2", fragmentary and "unprocessed.

TYPE 10: MISCELLANEOUS

• 56 shoebuckles, fragmentary, processed (see Pl. I, Nos. 8-14).
• 2 shoebuckles, unprocessed.
• 1 strap, 6 ½" long, perforated, with 2 side barbs; cat.no. 6-271-18H (Pl. I, No. 17).
• 1 knobbed bar or lever, 13" long; cat.no. 10-12418H (Pl. I, No. 26).
• 1 strap, 14" long, bent around a copper object 3" long., unprocessed (Pl. I, No. 1).
• 1 rod, 5 ½" long, 1/8" in diameter; cat.no. 10142-18H.
• 1 3" iron wheel, equipped with 6 spokes, unprocessed (Pl. I, No. 5).
• 1 boss, or similar ornament, unprocessed.
• 1 loop, bradded.
• 1 link of chain (?) flattened, 2 ½" long; processed.

PLATE I

BRASS, COPPER, BRONZE:

TYPE 1: BUCKLES

• 4 harness buckles and 5 fragments of 4 shoe buckles. (Note illustrations in Plate II, Nos. 3-7).

TYPE 2: ORNAMENTS

• 1 Eagle finial, 6 ½" high (Pl. II, No. 9).
• 1 fragmentary rococo shell-like ornament, measuring 2" x 1 ¾", of unknown application (Pl. II, No. 25).
• 1 oval medallion, 2" x 1 ½", of thin stamped metal, bearing in low relief a horn, flute, and other musical symbols, possibly a furniture ornament (Pl. II, No. 17).
• 1 round brass-covered, iron-based drawer pull, bearing a floral design in its concavity (Pl. II, No. 20).
• ½" copper disc with serrated edge.

TYPE 3: SPURS, HARNESS

• 1 spur (Pl. II, No. 2).
• 2 bridle ornaments.
• 1 harness fixture, 5/16" wide (Pl. II, No. 1).
• 1 plate, 3" x 2 ¼" square., with bent hooks for attachment (Pl. II, No. 31).

TYPE. 4: BRONZE WINE COCKS

• 1 valve and handle in one cast unit, 3" long (Pl. II, No. 34).

TYPE 5: BUTTONS

• 17 buttons and fragments thereof (Pl. II, Nos. 18-19, 21-23, 25-26). Also included are two bone buttons.

TYPE 6: FIRE IRONS

• (None)

TYPE 7: CABINET HARDWARE

• 1 bronze drawer-pull, 3 ½" long (Pl. II, No. 32).

TYPE 8: WATCHES, CLOCKS

• (None)

TYPE 9: MILITARY

• 1 oval brass-covered sword belt slide, bearing "US" in relief, measuring 3 3/8" x 2 ¼"; civil war period (Pl. II, No. 29).
• 1 scabbard tip (Pl. II, No. 27).

TYPE 10: CANDLESTICKS AND SNUFFERS

• (None)

TYPE 11: HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS

• 1 brass spoon handle

TYPE 12: HARDWARE

• 1 escutcheon for door handle.

TYPE 13: MISCELLANEOUS (45 items, listed as follows)

• 1 bronze rod, 16" long, half round in cross section, and fitted on the flattened side with short hooks of the same metal, bent in attachment to some other surface; broken in two pieces(Pl. II, No. 30).
• 1 brass sheet, 12" long, 6 ½" wide at one end and 5 ¼" wide at the opposite end, bearing along one long side a row of tack-holes at approximately ½" Page 3 intervals, and on the opposite side, a bradded half-hinge, with two holes indicating the position of a similar half-hinge, now missing. Another bradded half-hinge is mounted along the center of a cut-out portion 3 1/3" x 2 ½", the aperture being ½" from the tack-hole-bordered edge of the sheet; broken in three pieces (Pl. II, Nos. 28a and b).
• 3 Brass and 1 copper short strips, ¼" wide, showing a central row of tack-holes, with a few tacks still in position.
• Edge of brass disc, the fragment measuring approximately 1 ½" x 1 ¼".
• Brass tube, 2 ¾" long, by ½" in diameter.
• Brass tube, 2" long, broken along its middle.
• Brass sheet scrap, 2 ¾" long., irregular in shape.
• Copper sheet, 5 ¾" x 3 ½", showing tack-holes at ¾" intervals along three of its sides; broken in three pieces.
• Page 4
• Copper strip, 3" x 1"
• Fragment of bronze casting, modern, bearing diestamped in its surface "5 ½ x 10"; weight, 26 oz.
• Broken hook-like object, one end flattened and bearing a brad in its center; over-all length 4".
• Brass tub-shaped 2 ½-oz. weight; 13/16" high; rim diameter, 1 3/8"; basal diameter, 1" (Pl. VII, No. 4).
• Brass Jews harp, 2 1/8" long, 1" wide (Pl. VII, No. 1).
• End of brass tube, threaded inside to accommodate a smaller tube, of which a portion remains in place; length, 1 ¼".
• Circular brass base for lamp or other standing fixture, 2 ½" in basal diameter, standing 1 ¼" high, ending in a threaded rod, 5/16" in diameter, and ½" long.
• Page 5
• Two brass rings, or washers, 1 1/8" and 1" in diameter.
• Two brass ferrules, 1 1/8" and 1" in diameter.
• One scrap of copper molding, L-shaped in cross section, 3 ½" long.
• One brass ferrule (?), 3" long, with flaring, milled base, and perforated on each side near base for attachment.
• Brass pipe, 13/16" in diameter, and ¾" long.
• Curved and slotted brass object, having L-shaped cross-section, and equipped with toothed edge; length 2 ½".
• Twisted loop of brass wire; over-all length, 3 ¾" (Pl. II, No. 24).
• Cast brass cup, 7/8" in diameter, with heavy rim; height ½" (Pl. II, No. 16).
• Page 6
• Brass hook, 1" long, with iron rust traces in socketed end (Pl. II, No. 13).
• Brass fragment of ring or circlet (Pl. II, No. 15).
• Brass 3-branched trivet, with squared branches about 11/16" long (Pl. II, No. 14).
• Four fragments of L-shaped bindings, as for purses.
• Brass spike, 1 ¾" long, flanged midway of its length, with squared cross-section ending in a round, flat head, socketed to receive a die, as in bookbinding ornamentation(Pl. II, No. 12).
• Bookbinder's brass arabesque corner ornament, 2 5/16" in overall length, having a socket flange 5/8" in diameter 7/8" below the face of the die, which measured roughly 1" on its two sides. (Plate XI)
• Bookbinder's brass letter stamp, 2" long, flanged 1 1/8" from the die face.
• Calipers, brass, 5 ¾" long.
• Page 7
• Brass rod, 3/16" in diameter, ¾" long.
• Forked object of cast brass, 1 ¾" long.
• Brass thimble.
• Mass of wire mesh.

Plate II

GLASS:

Wineglass stems and other portions:

• 10 teardrop stems (fragmentary).
• 1 baluster stem (fragmentary, with tear-drop).
• 1 cotton twist stem (fragmentary).
• 2 plain stems (fragmentary).
• 1 plain, short stem (fragmentary).
• 3 molded glass fragments.
• [Note illustrations of stems in Pl. III, Nos. 1-6, 9]

Tumblers:

• 1 base of hexagonal tumbler, with deep depressions in under side.
• 1 tumbler base, 1 ¼" in diameter.
• 1 tumbler base, 2 3/8" in diameter.

Medicine or perfume bottles or vials:

• 2 vials, both with chipped lip (Pl. III, Nos. 10 and 11).
• 7 bases of vials.
• 1 top of vial.

Bottles:

• A considerable quantity of fragments of bottles, largely bottoms, necks, and other fragments of wine bottle, together with a few exceptions, were recovered from the excavation of this site and have received but partial processing. No whole bottles were found, and none seemed from the partial study accorded them to deserve fuller treatment.

Miscellaneous glass objects:

• 1 large pedestal for bowl or epergne, 4 ¾" high, and having a circular foot 6 ¼" in diameter (Pl. III, No. 12).
• 1 knob for dish cover, or receiver, 1 ¼" in diameter (Pl. III, No. 8).
• 1 small footed vessel with flaring cup, its base having a diameter of 2 1/8", and a (broken) height of 1 ¾" (Pl. III, No. 7).
• 1 neck of molded vessel, with a lip diameter of 2 ¼".
• 1 pedestal of glass or bowl, having a foot approximately 3" in diameter, of molded glass, partially fused in a fire.
• 1 vessel base, 1 ¾" in diameter, fluted, of violet-colored glass.
• 1 pitcher handle fragment.
• 1 unidentified fragment of melted glass.
• 1 spectacle lens.
• 37 fragments of glass panes weighing 7 oz (illustrated in P1. III, Nos. 15-17, 19).
• 1 fragment of glass panes, with adjoining portions of lead cames holding it in position (Pl. III, No. 18).

Plate III

CERAMICS:

The collection of ceramics from the Virginia Gazette site, in comparison with finds from other sites in the colonial area, shows interesting material but nothing remarkable, either in quantity or quality.

Illustrations representative of the ceramic collection are the following:

• Hand-painted Staffordshire Ware, 13 sherds, shown as Pl. IV, No. 1.
• Delftware, 10 sherds, shown as Pl. IV, No. 2.
• The so-called Lowestoft variation of Chinese Porcelain, sherds, shown as Pl. IV, No. 3.
• Chinese Porcelain, 2 sherds, illustrated by Pl. IV, No. 4.
• Blue-edged Ware, illustrated by the first 3 sherds in Pl. IV, No. 5; Green-edged Ware, illustrated by the final 2 sherds in Pl. IV, No. 5.
• Gray Stoneware, illustrated by a small handled mug, 3 ½" high, measuring 2 ¾" in rim diameter, and shown in Pl. III, No. 14, and also by the 8 sherds appearing in Pl. V, No. 6.
• Brown Stoneware is represented by the 6 sherds in Pl. V, No. 7.
• Crude Earthenware is illustrated by the 4 sherds in Pl. V, No. 8.
• Slip-Decorated Ware is represented by the 4 sherds in Pl. V, No. 9.
• Annular Ware is represented by the 7 fragments shown in Pl. VI, No. 11.
• Transfer-Printed Staffordshire Ware is illustrated by the 5 sherds in Pl. VI, No. 12.
• Creamware is represented by the 6 sherds shown in Pl. VI, No. 13.
• Salt-Glaze Ware is illustrated by the 2 sherds in Pl. VI, No. 14.
• Three miscellaneous sherds Pictured in Pl. V, No. 10, (1. to 4.) Lustreware, an unidentified (19th Century) ware, and Rockingham Ware.

Plate IV

Plate V

Plate VI

STONE:

Miscellaneous:

• 2 irregularly shaped marble slabs, 1 3/16" thick, one of which is approximately 5 ½" x 5", and the other 4 ½" x 4". (Pl. III, No. 13). Both are smoother on one side than the other, and the edges show working.
• 1 broken slab of coarse sandstone, possibly from a doorstep, 2 ¼" thick, bearing iron stains on its smoothed surface. Dimensions are approximately 6 ¾" x 2 ½"
• 1 whet-stone 4" long, with a cross-section roughly 1 3/8" on each face. The sides all have been worn down appreciably through use (Pl. VII, No. 7).
• 2 fragments of polished gray slate, probably parts of a schoolchild's slate. One piece, 4mm. thick, a corner fragment, is approximately 2 ¾" x 2". The other, smaller fragment is polished on but one face, and appears to have been split off from the opposite polished face. (Pl. VII, Nos. 8 and 9).
• 1 slate fragment, purplish in color, roughly split and nearly 3" in diameter by 1/8" thick, probably was broken from a roofing slate shingle.

Stone objects of Indian origin:

• 1 fragmentary stone ceremonial axe of Indian workmanship, broken along the drilled ½" hole that forms its eye; remaining portion measures 2 ½" to the rounded point, and 1 5/8" in height along the axis of the eye. The color is pale green and possibly is slate. The surface is roughly polished (Pl. VII, No. 10).
• Broken fragment of Indian arrowpoint of coarsely worked flint or chert. Length of fragment, 1 1/8" width 11/16"; thickness, 3/8". Surface color, light gray; interior color, dark gray (Pl. VII, No. 11).
• 1 very smooth dark green pebble, 2" x 1 ¼", approximately ½" thick; possibly an Indian artifact (Pl. VII, No. 12).

Plate VII

MISCELLANY:

Printers' Type:

• Array of type in typesetter's tray, product of the first period of excavation; weight, 70.4 oz. (Plate VIII).
• Array of type on sheet, product of the second period of excavation; weight, 48 oz. (Plate IX).

Lead Objects:

• Leaden bale seal, 1 ¼" in diameter,, and approximately 1mm. thick, joined by a short strip to a seal 1 1/8" in diameter and of equal thickness. A textile like imprint shows on the inner surfaces of this seal, while on the outer surface there remain traces of a die-stamped legend reading in a circular band -----MAUDUIT----, and in a band running across the center of the seal, LONDON. Remaining portions of the inscription have not been deciphered. The opposite face of the seal bears the following, scored with some pointed instrument; ^Z ₁₀₅. (Illustrated in Pl. VII, Nos. 2 and 3, and in greater detail in Plate X, wherein Fig. 1 shows the obverse and reverse sides of the larger disc, while Fig. 2 shows the obverse and reverse sides of the smaller disc.)
• Page 2
• 43 fragments of window cames (8 ½ oz.). (Illustrated in Pl. II, No. 33).
• 1 projectile ball, 5/8" in diameter; weight, 1 oz.
• 1 tube, 2 ¼" long, and ¼" in diameter; weight, 1 oz.
• 1 disc, 1 ¼" in diameter by 1/8" thick; weight, 1 ½ oz.
• 1 thin fragment, 1 ½" x ¾"

Pewter Object:

• Fragment of metal tube with everted rim, possibly part of a candle holder, 1" in diameter, by ¾" in length.

Ceramic Objects:

• 5 clay marbles: 2 black, 2 brown, 1 blue.
• Doll's leg, porcelain, bearing stamped "3"; foot painted blue; broken.
• 3 fragments of clay pipe stems.
• Elbow-shaped, molded clay pipe (19th Century).

Ivory:

• Partly worked wafer, 1 2/3" x 1 ¼", having two adjacent edges polished smooth.

Bone:

• Handle 3" long,, and approximately ½" in diameter, fitted at butt end with a spirally-grooved bone peg ¾" long x 3/16" in diameter, set into a centrally-located socket 5/8" deep. The opposite end is socketed and holds the rusted tang end of some tool or instrument (Pl. II, No. 10).
• Spatulate handle,, 5 ½" long with ¾"-wide blade, 1/8" thick at squared tip and thickening to ¼" a distance of 4" from end of handle. Edges are bevelled. About 5" from its end, this handle tapers sharply to a ¼" diameter and ends in a jagged break (Pl. II, No. 11).

Plate VIII

Plate IX

Plate X

Plate XI

Plate XII

Plate XIII

Plate XIV

Plate XV