Yes, I think these items are functional equivalents of the ones we found at
our site, and they're certainly still for sale today from a variety of
sources.  From what I'm seeing on-list and off-list in replies to my
original query, I'm strongly inclined to say that our rivets/burrs are late
19th-century, and thus likely associated with our sawmill occupation
(c1866-1884).  Their exact function or functions may never be known with
certainty for our specific context, but I'm increasingly certain they don't
relate to our 18th-century Spanish cavalry garrison.  I'll continue my
research and post again if anything more definitive shows up (either from
archaeological context or documentary sources).

Thanks to one and all,
John

On Mon, Jun 6, 2011 at 11:58 AM, Marty Pickands <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Dear John-
>
> Sorry I picked up on this late. I thought you would like to see this:
>
> http://www.shipshewanaharness.com/ecommerce/search_results.cfm?search_terms=rivets
>
> I remember using some of these as a teenager when I worked a a canoe camp
> in Maine. We kept them around to make sheaths for axes out of leather or
> fire hose.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Marty Pickands
> New York State Museum
>



-- 
John E. Worth, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology
University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola, FL 32514
Phone: (850) 857-6204    Fax: (850) 857-6278
Email: [log in to unmask]
Home Page: http://www.uwf.edu/jworth
Graduate Advising Resource Page:
http://www.uwf.edu/jworth/teaching.htm#Advisement
2011 Field School Blog: http://pensacolacolonialfrontiers.blogspot.com/