Mark,
Have studied "tin" cans for some time, looking particularly at the ratio of
evaporated milk cans to other canned food types as a reflection of ethnic
dietary preference. My hypothesis is that the "classic" 19th - early 20th
century Euro-American working man's preference for wheat flour-based foods
can be seen in the portionately large numbers of evaporated milk cans to be
found in can dumps where camp cooks were making things like flapjacks,
biscuits, pies and the like. Evaporated milk was an essential ingredient for
creating such delicacies. Also that this wheat flour preference can
otherwise be largely invisible archaeologically due to recycling or the
perishability of flour sacks, etc. I compared several isolated tin can dumps
found in the Mojave Desert (not agricultural, but not logging either) with a
Papago mining camp dump where corn masa was the staple base (made into
tortillas and the like). Published the results some time back in Tin Cans
and Their Potential: Historical Archaeology's Tin Lining. Pacific Coast
Archaeological Society Quarterly 22 (2), April 1986. Hope this is useful.
Anne Stoll
Statistical Research, Inc.
Redlands, CA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Walker" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 7:22 PM
Subject: Request for info--California can dumps
> I am searching for comparative data on isolated can dumps, domestic
> refuse scatters, and the like, from agricultural areas of California.
> Not all refuse scatters--just the ones that appear to be the result of
> temporary or transient camps rather than permanent residence--I have
> plenty of logging and mining camp material, but would like more on
> agricultural camp sites or refuse deposits where the association is
> uncertain or just unknown (squatters, hobos, anything like that). Any
> and all leads on this would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Many thanks
>
> Mark W.
> --
>
> Mark Walker
> --------------
> Anthropological Studies Center
> Sonoma State University
> Rohnert Park, California
>
>
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