Thanks to everyone for their responses. While I had been thinking of it as an ampule for medicine and had ruled out its being used as a spirit level (the bubble is too big - and BTW Ron, we used laser levels, not line levels) I admit to never even considering that it might be part of a christmas light, Scrooge that I am... Another possibility that occured to me, and an off list person is that it might contain machine oil - for fine machinery or instrumentation. The area where this was found served as a Quarantine station, and then as a medical and biological research facility (http://www.cofc.edu/%7egrice/index.html) so this is not implausible. However, the deposit was a jumble. It contained lab glass, dry cell batteries, tobacco cans, perfume bottles, cold cream jars, fine porcelain and kids' toys, so association doesn't narrow the possibilities very much... I'll update the web site when I get the contents analyzed. 
thanks again,
Carl Steen






From: Carole Nash <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 2:38 pm
Subject: Re: Artifact ID










Morphine (pharmaceutical) ampule.  Sorry I can't put my hands on a reference at 
the moment.  C. 

---- Original message ----
>Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:00:16 -0500
>From: "Sichler, Judith" <[log in to unmask]>  
>Subject: Re: Artifact ID  
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>Is it one of those old "bubbler" Christmas lights that are making a
>comeback?
>
>Judith A. Sichler, Ph.D., RPA
>MACTEC E&C- Knoxville
>865/588-8544x1158   - Fax 865/588-8026 
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Carl
>Steen
>Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 1:54 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Artifact ID
>
>I found this item in a mid 20th century context. Any ideas? Image at:
>
>http://38ch69.com/What%20page.html
>
>Thanks
>Carl Steen
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>More new features than ever.  Check out the new AOL Mail ! -
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Carole Nash
Department of Integrated Science and Technology 
Geographic Science Program
MSC 4102
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
President, Middle Atlantic Archaeological Conference
http://www.maacmidatlanticarchaeology.org