Dedie chimed in about wells in Santa Fe already. However, I feel the need to chime in on waste management systems.
During the Spanish Colonial period, the acceptable procedure for human waste disposal in the province of New Mexico appears to have involved its placement in fields, irrigation ditches, and streets. Once tossed, scavengers in the form of dogs, pigs, and chickens consumed much of it aided by the strong sun and wind which quickly dried up any remaining filth. Santa Fe, as the largest and most urban environment within the territory, was the first to try to curtail these activities. Ordinances were initially established by the city’s legal advisor Don Antonio Barriero as a result of the Mexican Government’s fear of a cholera epidemic spreading from merchants traveling down along the Santa Fe Trail in 1833. These ordinances included the draining of stagnant pools, the cleaning of the streets and prohibition against throwing trash, human waste, and dead animals into irrigation ditches and streams. Unfortunately, the measures were not enforced. It was not until 1870 when a County Probate Judge issued police regulations to enforce the 1833 Mexican Government ordinances. Then in 1879, those ordinances were modified and reissued by the County Commissioner further reinforcing the stance taken nearly 50 years earlier.
Having directed excavation of close to 40 "self-contained vault privies" in the downtown Santa Fe, the earliest vault I have seen dates to the 1850s during the American Territorial Period. That is not say they were not present before that time, I have just never seen one. Most in the city appear to not have used outhouses until the 1880s. The bucket system, described by one of the list writers, is really hard to recognize archaeologically. However, I thought I found one of these "sanitary privies" behind the Fort Marcy NCO Quarters.
I am not sure this helps at all, but as I like privies, I thought I would chime in
Matt
Matthew J. Barbour
Historical Archaeologist
Office of Archaeological Studies
P.O. Box 2087
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504-2087
email: [log in to unmask]
office: 505.982.1375
cell: 505.220.3270
________________________________________
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Dedie Snow [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 7:10 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Spanish Colonial wells/privies
Linda and all,
Ironically Santa Fe, NM was founded in a swampy area along the Santa Fe
River so no wells are known from the date of formal founding in 1610 until
the last decade of the 16th century. Presumably during the first century of
settlement water for domestic purposes, livestock and construction
(manufacture of adobe bricks and mud mortars) was supplied by acequias or
irrigation ditches. According to the documents around 1695-1696 all of New
Mexico suffered a drought that was so severe there was no water in the river
and the residents were forced to dig wells in the cienega (marshy area)
north and east of the plaza major. Another document, describes a well in
the patio of the Palace of the Governors that might date from 1695-1696.
That well, which was four and one quarter varas in depth, was dry in 1715
when the document was written.
In the 1950s the late Marjorie Lambert, an archaeologist with the Museum of
New Mexico, excavated a well in the patio of the Palace of Governors that
could be the well mentioned as being dry in 1715. The well was trash-filled
and Lambert's report published. I will be happy to send you this reference
and others if you write to me off-line.
Dedie Snow
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pete
Gregory
Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2012 8:12 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Spanish Colonial wells/privies
Linda: We have excavated three wells at the Presidio de Nstra.Snra. del
Pilar de Los Adaes, the colonial capitol of Texas (circa 1723-1773) and now
a Louisiana State Park. These match the documented maps we have of the fort
and adjacent structures, They are about a metter and a half in diameter and
more oval than round. They are dug to a depth of 2-3 meters through clay
into what is now sterile sand. Like yours they are completely filled with
loads of bone, Indian, Spanish and other European sherds. We don't get the
tiles but other artifacts: beads, etc. did occur. Gunparts, spur frags, etc.
Spanish speakers here refer to wells as "noria" which really is a waterlift
structure and one of the ones we excavated we were able to find in situ the
post the lift was attached to. It was a single post several feet back from
the well pit. That well eas associated with a dwelling outside the fort. One
other was located at the interior of the baluarte where the cannon were
inside the fort. Contents were again day to day "dumps".
You can find the reports at the Louisiana Division of Archaeology, Baton
Rouge, Louisiana. Check for the lift posts. Let me know if you find them.
Rhanks Sincerely, Pete Gregory
________________________________________
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Linda Hylkema
[[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2012 11:45 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Spanish Colonial wells/privies
Hi HISTARCH'ers,
Does anyone know of any information on Spanish Colonial wells or privies? I
have the 2009 glass bead report on St. Catherine's Island which discusses
two wells, but does anyone know of anything else, particularly with regards
to missions in California? Just this week we excavated a six foot deep
cylindrical hole, about three feet in diameter, filled with roof and floor
tiles, cattle bone, shell and glass beads, and some bone tools/objects. We
are in the heart of the neophyte living area at Mission Santa Clara, which
was occupied starting in 1781 and was used until the 1830's, possibly '40's.
I don't have my field pics uploaded just yet, but can post a photo shortly
if anyone wants to see it.
Thanks in advance for your help...
Linda Hylkema, MA, RPA
Santa Clara University
Linda Hylkema, M.A., R.P.A.
Archaeological Research Lab
Ricard Memorial Observatory
Santa Clara University
500 E. El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95053
(408) 554-4513
(408) 551-1709 fax
[log in to unmask]
http://www.scu.edu/cas/archaeology/
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