Several Civil War period barrels were recorded during excavations at Fort
Delaware, Pea Patch Island by Hunter Research Inc. in 1998.  These barrels
were made of oak with willow rings/hoops/bands.  The barrels had been
purposely sunk upright into the clay muck adjacent to structures built out
on the mud flats along the southeast portion of the island.

Bill Liebeknecht
Principal Investigator
Hunter Research Inc.
Trenton, New Jersey

----- Original Message -----
From: Elizabeth Crowell <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2000 5:52 PM
Subject: historic barrels


>      I am forwarding this query to the list from a colleague who is not on
>      HISTARCH.  I will forward your responses to him.
>
>      Thanks for your input.
>
>      Liz Crowell
>      [log in to unmask]
>
>      ---------------------------------------------------------------------
-
>
>
>      Parsons ES excaavted a well constructed with three large wooden
>      barrels place on top of each other inside a construction pit.  The
>      first (upper) barrel was only a light grey stain; the second (middle)
>      barrel was half organic stain and half decaying wood at the water
>      line, and the third (bottom) barrel was almost completely intact
under
>      the water line.  The barrels were approximately 1 m tall and 90 cm
>      wide (inside) with wooden rings around the exterior instead of metal
>      bands.  The bttom barrel had three rings at the base, two in the
>      center, and no evidence of any rings on the top.  Any information on
>      barrel technology from the 17th and 18th centuries would be
>      appreciated to determine the age.  Artifacts suggest a mid to late
>      18th century construction date for the well.
>
>      Patrick O'Neill
>      Parsons Engineering Science
>      Fairfax, Virginia
>