Given the other artifacts are items of a domestic and military nature
perhaps you should look in those directions before settling in on one
interpretation , which I know you are not. A calf weaner sounds very neat
but I would not rule out a trap as the oval rings appear to be of different
sizes with the cross pieces tapering inward similar to a weir or trap ...for
say the size of a rat? If it were found in a barn or with other artifacts
typically found in a barn, a calf weaner would sound logical, but in this
case I would recommend caution.
Bill Liebeknecht
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of King,
Julia
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 12:44 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Artifact ID
The majority of the materials date to the early 18th century. The building
burned, c. 1730. A room-by-room inventory taken in 1727 suggests that the
dwelling, believed to have been built c. 1690 by Col. John Addison (d.
1705), had been repurposed for storage by his son, Thomas, who, in 1711, had
built and occupied a different known and grander house. The relationship
between the inventory and the artifacts is ambiguous, not too surprising
given that some few years are believed to separate the listing of
possessions and the fire.
Ceramics are primarily tablewares; very few to no utilitarian wares are
present; faunal remains number maybe a hundred fragments; tobacco pipes (in
the dozens); there is a considerable amount of bottle glass in the deposits
the students are analyzing. Also present are gun artifacts (see John
McCarthy, et al, Arms 1991. Arms from Addison Plantation and the Maryland
Militia on the Potomac Frontier. Historical Archaeology 25(1):66-79); three
or four sword guards; architectural hinges; hundreds of nails, many probably
for boxes rather than for architectural purposes.
There are literally hundreds and probably a thousand artifacts; among them
are two small pieces of creamware (1) and pearlware (1). The students are
now trying to sort out the stratigraphic sequences and correlate them with
their lot numbers; and where in that sequence those two later ceramics occur
will be of interest.
Much of this is still forming up -- it's the end of the semester and now
that projects are due (next week) students are in intensive work mode : )
But I think that these general observations are fairly solid.
Two people, including Rachel and Jan Lloyd have suggested calf weaner;
Martha, pig anti-rooting device; Lyle & others, a small animal trap (where
others had earlier sent us). I should note it is fairly flimsy. All of
these are great suggestions and Andreas is running them down. Please keep
your suggestions coming!
Julie King
________________________________________
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Bill
[[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 12:14 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Artifact ID
What other artifacts were recovered from this context? Does this
interpretation fit with the assemblage?
Bill Liebeknecht
-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mark
Howe
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 12:02 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Artifact ID
http://www.enasco.com/c/farmandranch/Calf+Rearing/Weaners/
Rachel seems to be right on this.
Mark Howe
"Life is how you make it, the future is how you leave your past."
> Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:07:24 -0500
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: FW: Artifact ID
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> I think this could be a calf-weaner (everyone keep your lecherous
> sniggers in check). It looks a little bent and out of shape, not
> surprising if it is 250 year old, but you would have put the round
> part around a calf's nose with the spikes sticking out. It prevents
> them from nursing by poking the mother when they try to suckle. These
> were not uncommon implements on a farm, and I have come across a few
> in my work in Texas. This looks a little different from the ones I
> have seen, but I think people devised a wide variety of apparatuses to
wean calves.
>
> Rachel Feit
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> King, Julia
> Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2012 5:17 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Artifact ID
>
> Dear HistArchers,
>
> One of our students, Andreas Lutz, is in an Archaeology Practicum
> class at St. Mary's College where he along with his colleagues is
> cataloging, analyzing, and interpreting materials from the Addison
> Plantation site (18PR175; aka Oxon Hill) located in Prince George's
> County, MD. He has come across several iron artifacts, and links to
> images of one of these objects are posted below. Andreas has shown
> these to archaeologists at various institutions around the region,
> with some tentative -- but still unsatisfying -- identifications. The
> context is cellar fill believed to date to c. 1730s. Later disturbance
> is possible but not likely. I told Andreas about the "hundreds of
> years of experience" represented by HISTARCH; colleagues, if you have
> suggestions for Andreas, we would both be grateful for your assistance!
Here are the links:
>
> http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o289/knifetrader/Addisson%20Artifac
> ts
> /18PR17503.jpg
>
> http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o289/knifetrader/Addisson%20Artifac
> ts
> /18PR17501.jpg
>
> Julie King
> St. Mary's College of MD
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