Expert: Ralph Salier - 5/9/2005

Question
-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Hello Mr. Ralph Salier. Can you please answer  these questions regarding the information listed below from an excavation which I went on. The questions are,

1) Why were certain things present at the site?

2) What was absent from the site? and if so, why?

3)Compare the material collected at the levels?
Archaeology
  
Extremely Urgent
I did not have any time to arrange the information in excel. This information is for a report.
Level 1 was about 1 feet, Level 2, 2 feet Level 3, between 4-5 feet and Level 5 Between 6-7 feet. These qusetions are for a report which I have to submit in 2 hours i.e by 4:00pm  on Monday. Sorry but I did not have time to arrange it in ecxel. Place respond giving what little information that you can.

Thanks and bye          
         
  Ceramics          283          
         
     Earthenware          
     17C   Slipware      16          
        Whiteware      5          
        Sgraffito      4          
        delftware      2          
        Metrotan. G      1          
        Metrotan. U      2          
        Pl RedPotG      1          
         
         
     Stoneware          
     18C   Slipware SG      7          
        Creamware      79          
        Sgraffito      3          
        Rhenish      10          
        Pearlware      97          
         Annular      12          
         Buckley          
  North Devon Gravel Tempered      1          
        Whiteware      17          
        Agate          
        Stafffords.      3          
        Bellarmine          
        Salt Glazed          
         
     Porcelain         19          
         
  Buttons          
     Whole          
     Fragments          
         
  Bones          
     Animal          
        Fragments      11          
        Horse   Thoracic Vertebra   1          
         L. eighth rib   1          
         R. Femur   1          
        Dog          
         3rd cervical vertebra   1          
         Humerus   1          
         Knee joint   1          
         Rib   1          
         R. Femur   1          
         
         
  Nails          
     Building         13          
         
  Glass          40          
  Bottles          
     Fragments         40          
         
         
  Pipes          
     Stems       Fragments   24          
     Bowls       Fragments   1          
         
         
  Iron          3          
         
         
  Bmaterial          
     Tiles         21          
     Bricks         28          
     Clay Pottery         12          

Archaeology          
Level 1          
         
  Ceramics          672
         
     Earthenware         
     17C   Slipware      93
        Whiteware      29
        Sgraffito      13
        delftware      3
        Metrotan. Glaze      15
        Metrotan. Unglaze      20
        Rhenish      5
        Plain RedPotttery Glazed      125
        Plain Red Pottery Unglazed      81
        North Devon Gravel Tempered   1
         
         
         
         
     Stoneware         
     18C   Slipware SG      146
        Creamware      4
        Sgraffito      13
        Metrotan. G      4
        Metrotan. U      6
        Rhenish      1
        Pearlware      21
        Annular      2
        Buckley      1
        N Devon GT      21
        Whiteware      13
        Agate      7
        Stafffords.      18
        Bellarmine      2
        Salt Glazed      12
         
     Porcelain         16
         
         
  Bones          
     Animal         
        Fragments      133
        Dog   Parietal Bone   1
         Hyoid Bone   1
        Goat   Horn Fragment   1
        Horse   Right Tibia   1
         Metacarpal Hoof   1
         L. Radius and Ulna   1
        Cow   Hoof   2
         
         
         
  Teeth          
     Animal      Sets   4
         Brown stained set   1
        Dog   Incisor   1
         
         
        Premolar      1
         
         
  Shells          
         Isognomon Radiatus   31
         Conch Fragments   5
         Stilifer Subulatus   88
         Semele Proficua   1
         Mactra Fragilis   1
         Mulinia Portoricensis Fragments   2
         Conus Juliae   3
         Neritarius Meleagris   1
         Pupexita Puper   5
         Nerita Fulgurans   4
         Nerita Tessellata   14
         Milhfeld Dwarf Periwinkle   1
         Reeve   1
         Finlay Philippi's Keyhole Limpet   1
         Gmelin Atlantic Yellow cowry   1
         Shuttleworth Puerto Rican Surf Clam   1
         Adams Dietz's Corbula   1
         Common Atlantic Diplodon   1
         Gemelin Jasper Cone   1
         Lamarck Florida Jewel Box   1
         Corbula aequivalvis   1
         
         
  Nails          
     Building         90
     Tacks         1
         
         
  Coal          569
         
         
  Slate          134
         
         
  Glass          
     Plain         28
     Patina Botm.         6
     Patina Frag.         10
     Patina BTGr.         76
     Patina BTBr.         1
     Patina         3
     Green         104
     Brown         8
     Clear         13
     Decorative         3
     Dark         34
         
         
  Bottles          
     Whole         1
     Fragments         22
         
         
  Pipes          
     Stems         71
     Stem Frags.         5
     Bowls         0
     Bowl Frags.         12
         
         
  Flint          37
         
         
  Iron          38
         
         
  Anthracite          41
         
         
  Bmaterial          
     Tiles         5
     Clay Pottery         40
         
         
  PAdornmt.          
         Cameo Brooch   1
         
  Miscel.          
         Figurine Arm   1
         Nail Hook   1
         Neck Fragment   1
         Mirror Fragment   1
         Sugar Jar Fragment   1
         Coin   1
         Copper   1
         Child's Gold Ring   1
         Shoe Buckle   1

Archaeology          
Level 2          
         
  Ceramics          335
         
     Earthenware         
     17C   Slipware      60
        Whiteware      1
        Sgraffito      14
        delftware      9
        Metrotan. G      2
        Metrotan. U      9
        Rhenish      17
        Pl RedPotG      13
        Pl RedPotU      48
        N Devon GT      33
         
         
         
         
     Stoneware         
     18C   Slipware SG      20
        Creamware      59
        Sgraffito      2
        Metrotan. G      3
        Metrotan. U      5
        Rhenish      1
        Pearlware      7
        Annular      1
        Buckley      1
        N Devon GT      2
        Whiteware      2
        Agate      2
        Stafffords.      14
        Bellarmine      2
        Salt Glazed      2
         
     Porcelain         4
         
  Buttons          
     Whole         3
         
  Bones          52
     Animal         
        Cow   Hoof   1
        Dog   R. Femur   1
         Parietal Bone   1
         
  Teeth          
     Animal   Fragment      1
         
  Shells          
         Conch fragments   1
         Isognomon Radiatus   24
         Wide mouth Purpura   4
         Feimorea Janetae   1
         Purpura Patula   2
         Lucapina aegis   1
         Heliacus Bisulcatus   1
         stigmaulax sulcta   6
         Tricolia Affinis   1
         Fissurella nimbosa   1
         conus patae   1
         Asaphis deflorata   2
         Nerita Peloronta   1
         Puerto Rican Surf Clam   1
         Grey elegant paper Bubble   1
         Conus Jaspideus   1
         bottom of  conch fragment   1
         Conus Juliae Clench   1
         
  Nails          
     Building         22
         
         
  Coal          167
         
  Slate          36
         
  Glass          165
         
  Lead          
         
  Pipes          
     Stems         26
     Stem Frags.         0
     Bowls         3
     BowlsFrags.         0
         
         
  Flint          16
         
         
  Anthracite          36
         
  Bmaterial          
     Tiles         54
     Bricks         104
         
         
  Miscel.          
         Crabclaw   1
         Seed   1
         Unknown Items   2

Archaeology          
Levels 3 & 4          
         
  Ceramics          248
         
     Earthenware         
     17C   Slipware      8
        Whiteware      2
        Sgraffito      3
        delftware      1
        Rhenish      4
        Pl RedPotG      7
        Pl RedPotU      2
        N Devon GT      1
         
         
         
         
     Stoneware         
     18C   Slipware SG      14
        Creamware      56
        Sgraffito      
        Metrotan. G      0
        Metrotan. U      0
        Rhenish      
        Pearlware      117
        Annular      
        Buckley      6
        N Devon GT      
        Whiteware      
        Agate      
        Stafffords.      2
        Bellarmine      8
        Salt Glaze      10
         
     Porcelain         7
         
  Buttons          
     Whole         2
     Fragments         1
         
  Bones          
     Animal         
         Fragments   55
         Large   2
        Ox   R. eighth Rib   1
        Cat   Clavicle   1
         
         
     Fish         6
         
  Teeth          
     Animal         
        Cow      1
         
         
  Shells          
         Conch fragments   2
         Isognomon Radiatus   7
         Wide mouth Purpura   4
         Feimorea Janetae   1
         Gmelin Zebra Periwinkle sibling species   1
         Lucapina aegis   1
         
  Nails          
     Building         16
     Tacks         1
         
         
  Coal          286
         
  Slate          25
         
  Glass          
     Plain         18
     Patina Frag.         32
     Patina BTGr.         4
     Patina         3
     Green         37
     Brown         5
     Dark         3
     Leadcame         1
         
  Bottles          
     Whole         
     Fragments         41
     Base         1
     Rim         1
         
  Lead          1
         
  Pipes          
     Stems         71
         
         
  Flint          39
         
  Iron          42
         
  Anthracite          80
         
  Bmaterial          
     Tiles         6
     Bricks         15
         
         
  Miscel.          
         Nail Fragments   47
         Bamboo Fragment   1

Archaeology          
Level 5          
         
  Ceramics          192
         
     Earthenware         
     17C   Slipware      15
        Sgraffito      20
        delftware      101
        Metrotan. G      
        Metrotan. U      3
        Rhenish      53
        Pl RedPotG      
        Pl RedPotU      
        N Devon GT      
         
         
         
         
     Stoneware         
     18C   Slipware SG      
        Sgraffito      
        Metrotan. G      
        Metrotan. U      
        Rhenish      
        Annular      
        Buckley      
        N Devon GT      
        Agate      
        Stafffords.      
        Bellarmine      
        Salt Glazed      
         
         
  Bones          
     Animal         
         Joint with iron embedded   1
         Fragments   107
        Ox   Skull Fragment Cranium   1
         L Metacarpal   1
         R. Mandible   1
        Dog   Joint Fragment   1
        Flat      1
        Horse   Fragments   49
         L Humerus   1
         Rib Pieces   3
         R. Ossa Coxarum    1
        Goat   Hyoid   1
        Cow   Rib   1
        Sheep   Fragment   1
         Rib   1
         
         
  Teeth          
     Animal         
         Whole   1
         
        Sheep      8
         Molars upper in skull   4
        Horse   Molars - set   1
         Incisors lower (of 6yr old approx)   3
         Molars   9
         
         
  Shells          
         Conch fragments   41
         Isognomon Radiatus   12
         Coralliophila Scalariformis   1
         Semele Proficua Radiata   1
         Nerita Tessellata   14
         Anadara Ovalis   1
         Lucapira Suffusa   1
         Conus daucus   1
         Conus granulatus   1
         Semele Proficua   2
         Conus Jaspideus   1
         
         
         
  Pipes          
     Stems          258
     Bowls         19
     Fragments         27
         
         
  Flint          15
         
         
  Slate          89
         
         
  Charcoal          39
         
         
  Anthracite          48
         
         
  Nails          
     Whole         64
     Fragments         14
         
         
  Iron          
     Fragments         79
         
         
  Leadcame          29

Archaeology          
L5 Sidewall          
  Ceramics          34
         
     Earthenware         
         Pl RedPot G   9
         N Devon GT   4
         Glazed   7
         delftware   6
         
     Stoneware         
         Saltglaze Br   4
         Crackled Gl Wh   4
         
         
         
         
         
  Bones          
         
     Animal         2
     Fragments         5
         
         
  Teeth          
     Animal         1
         
         
  Nails          
     Whole         1
     Fragments         1
         
         
  Pipes          
     Stems         30
         
         
  Coal          8
         
         
  Slate          
         
         
  Iron          
     Fragments         3
         
         
  Glass          
     Patina         7
     Window         2
     Bottle Gr Neck         
     Dr. Glass Base         1
         
         
  Flint          6
     Ball         1
     Plain         5
         
         
  Anthracite          3
         
         
  Bmaterial          
     Tiles         9
     Bricks         14

Answer -
Peter,

This appears to be an historic site but it is difficult to determine several things which do make a difference.  What is the depth of each level?  The other thing, it is very difficult to look at a list like this.  Would you set it up in an excel spread sheet and send it to me.  rsalier@hotmail.com

Also what is this for?  A class or part of a report on the site?


Answer
The three questions are very tough to answer with out knowing a whole lot more.

You indicated that this is a slave market site.  This means that you have both slaves and the slave owners present at the site as well as a great many others who work in supporting roles in such places as well as artisans, food vendors and iron mongers.  I would expect more shells and these don't seem to be overly present.  But this depends on where the market is.  If it is in western Tennesee  then it is not overly surprizing not to see shells.  I saw nothing in the list that stands out as being a real surprize being in the site.  Slave markets ran into the mid 1800s so a broad spectrum of materials would be expected.  

With the older materials there is less diversity which is also to be expected.  There were a number of items I could not identify from the description.  So these could be significant.  The thickness of the layers seems to be a bit excessive but that is wholy dependant of the use of the site and its location.  

I'm am sorry to have answered this so late and with so little detail.  I'm afraid I'm not much help on this project.  

Perhaps what I have provided will be of some help.