Cregg,

You did your senior honors work on Hermann, Missouri?  We have been told by
visitors from the Hermann area,  that Hermann was settled by Germans that
relocated there after first settling in Cahawba, Alabama (where I'm
working).  If you have any information on this, or can send me the family
names associated with the work you did there, I would greatly appreciate it.


Is there ongoing archaeological work at that location? 

Linda Derry
Site Director
Old Cahawba
719 Tremont St.
Selma, AL 36701
ph. 334/875-2529
fax. 334/877-4253
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-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David L.
Browman
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 4:01 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Freshwater mussels on 18th century sites

Cregg

Don't I remember you found some freshwater mussels in your senior honors
work from Hermann, Missouri, in the 1850s=1880s strata?

Dave Browman

> Bill,
>
> I kinda think it's not too unusual to find some freshwater mussel 
> shells on historic sites in the Midwest, and possibly in the 
> Northeast, too, but can't come up with any specific references, except for
this:
>
> Teagan Schweitzer identified five freshwater mussel species in an 
> assemblage overwhelmingly dominated by oyster at the Speaker's House 
> in Trappe, Pennsylvania. The shells may date from as early as the 
> mid-18th century up to 20th century.  She suggests they might have 
> been used as feed and/or a calcium source for chickens (T. A. 
> Schweitzer 2010, Philadelphia Foodways Ca. 1750-1850: an Historical
Archaeology of Cuisine.
> University of Pennsylvania Dissertation. Should be available online, 
> or let me know if you want a copy).
>
> Cregg
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of 
> Bill
> Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 9:06 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Freshwater mussels on 18th century sites
>
> Recent excavations on an early 18th century site in central Delaware 
> recovered some freshwater mussel shells amongst the faunal remains.
> Normally freshwater mussels are associated with Native American sites 
> in the Middle Atlantic region.  This presents the possibility of a 
> Native American presence or interaction with the European inhabitants 
> of the site (circa
> 1720 to 1735).  Several glass seed beads recovered from floatation 
> further support this theory.  My question is: Has anyone found 
> freshwater mussel shells on non-Native American 18th century sites in the
region?
>
> Thanks for your input in advance!
>
> Bill Liebeknecht, MA, RPA
> Principal Investigator
> Hunter Research, Inc.
> Trenton, New Jersey
>