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Date: | Wed, 9 Apr 2008 12:38:43 -0400 |
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A big brick cistern with brick baffles and a charcoal filter consisting of a perforated stoneware jug was found and recorded by archaeologists at the New York State Museum a number of years ago. See the following link:
http://www.archaeology.org/online/news/waterjug.html
Since excavating that cistern, or what remained of it after it was found during construction, I have seen four other examples of large perforated stoneware jugs, either in books or sitting in museum exhibits, usually with function unknown. In one case, in a book on pottery works in upstate New York by Warren Broderick and William Bouck (1995), the perforated jug they show on page 217 was interpreted as a "leach" used in the production of soap, but I'm unconvinced. The one just like it that we found in situ resting on the bottom of a cistern, surrounded by charcoal, was clearly a water filter. Since then I've been very curious about filters in cisterns since it seems like everybody had cisterns at one time and we keep finding them archaeologically.
Nancy
>>> Susan Walter <[log in to unmask]> 4/9/2008 12:45 AM >>>
Hello all,
Has anyone encountered red brick filters inside of water cisterns?
In the cistern I have been studying, slightly off center on the floor is a solid block of cemented bricks. It measures approximately 49" high, and 2 bricks wide, and 3 1/2 bricks long. One brick width protrudes down the sides of the construction. On the top is a place built up of 1 brick wide into which the original ferrous pipe was inserted. There is no evidence of any opening anywhere.
Thanks,
S. Walter
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