I worked on the base of a brick clamp this past summer (2003) that had
extensive fire reddening of soil in two layers, interpreted as two uses
of the clamp area. The lower layer was associated with the bottom
courses of bricks, still in firing position, and most of the surrounding
matrix was decayed brick, probably wasters or unused brick from the
clamp. I can't really address this question, however, since we dug six
square meters, right into the middle of the clamp, and so saw reddened
soil to the limits of our units. We could not justify going further, as
this excavation was sufficient to ID the site, and the remainder of the
site was under no immediate threat of impact. The upper layer of
reddened soil was about 10cm/4inches thick, while the lower one was at
least that thick--it was not removed, as it was supporting the in-place
bricks.
D. Babson.
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Eleanor Breen
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 3:06 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Examples of Fire Reddening
Hello Histarchers: I have a question about
heat-altered or fire-reddening of subsoil. At a site
where the floor level is know, in your experience,
what is the distance between heat source (hearth,
etc.) and the discolored soil? In other words, how
far above grade can the heat source/floor level be and
still have fire reddening of the soil? Does the
presence of brick lining the heat source transmit heat
better, thereby causing more extensive soil reddening?
We are interested in both the depth and horizontal
extent of the heat alteration. We are trying to
figure out if distance between floor surface and
heat-altered subsoil can be inferred by the extent of
soil reddening.
Thanks, Eleanor Breen
Assistant Archaeologist
Historic Mount Vernon
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