>     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.


Barrels were of all sizes from huge rolling hogsheads to little tiny kegs
for heavy metals and they were made for all sorts of purposes: wet, dry,
flour, nails, musket balls, gunflints, china, cloth ... and I always
wondered if there was a way to tell what they were used for based on size,
material, and manner in which they are hooped, but I diverge ...

Check some of the underwater excavations for info on barrels - I have seen
reports and popular publications which show whole barrels being found with
contents.  Sunken Mississippi River steamers come to mind in particular,
but if I'm not mistaken there have been barrels found on fresh water
cargoes and ocean-going vessels.

I use and old wooden-hooped horse-shoe-nail barrel for a waste can in my
home office - the splinters and the unclenched nails that hold the hoops in
place make emptying quite difficult but it looks cool.

        Dan W.