A number of years our then company Greenhouse Consultants was asked to
oversee the impacts of the Watervliet Shaker cemetery nearby Dayton, Ohio.
It was in the place the Dayton Power and Light Research Center was to go,
though a surveyor notes had placed it nearby  and a monument recently
placed there, later surveyed with GPR to make sure there was not another on
the edge of the orchard. Subsequently that September, using a "total
station" we dug 2.1 miles of trenches with three backhoes through the
property "belonging" to D. P. & L. on the former Shaker farm of nearly 1000
acres, with little standing remains, deeded for research. I was told
besides brooms and seeds they had patented a canned milk. Later I would
research the age statistics of all the Shaker communities, primarily in New
England, that had "started" in Watervliet, New York. As it turns out many
were very old when they passed on, apparently many there at the Shaker
settlements had been in their later decades of life and many certainly
surpassed the averages so thought for the 19th and early 20th century. I
think the data was presented in our report using the then new
"KnowledgeManager" program for new IBM XT to the NY SHPO which provided a
flat file database, spreadsheet and charts.

On Tue, Oct 6, 2015 at 3:00 AM, HISTARCH automatic digest system <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> There are 7 messages totaling 388 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
>   1. Archaeology of the Elderly (6)
>   2. gold rim decoration on ceramics
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date:    Mon, 5 Oct 2015 15:03:08 +0000
> From:    Melonie Renee Shier <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Archaeology of the Elderly
>
> Hello,
>
> While there appears to be a growing trend to study childhood, I have not
> been able to find much work on the archaeology of the elderly. In
> connection what do / should we call a study of people in their later years?
> {Try searching archaeology and old in the same query!} Can we really study
> the elderly though material culture (non osteoarchaeology) or can we only
> study the process of aging? Any thoughts and points in the right direction
> would be helpful.
>
> Yours,
> Melonie Shier
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Mon, 5 Oct 2015 09:54:08 -0700
> From:    Susan Walter <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: gold rim decoration on ceramics
>
> I echo Kevin's sentiments!  Again I wish to tell Anita how grateful I am
> for
> this ability to tap into the expansive knowledge of the Histarch community.
> V-e-r-y Gratefully Indeed,
> Susan D. Walter
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: KEVIN M Donaghy
> Sent: Saturday, October 03, 2015 7:05 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: gold rim decoration on ceramics
>
> Dear Histarch,
>
> I am so grateful for this discussion and having the heavy weights weigh in,
> this is really wonderful for someone like me who is ceramically challenged
> - always seeming to be playing catch-up on the trends and nuances - .
>
> Thank you for this, i am going to hit the citations noted, and with great
> sincerity i am grateful for your sharing.
>
> Warm wishes always,
>
> kev
>
> kevin m. donaghy
> doctoral candidate
> Department of Anthropology
> Temple University
> Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
> USA
>
> On Sat, Oct 3, 2015 at 2:39 PM, George Miller <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > Linda Hylkema’s question on when “the use of gold banding begins being
> > used
> > on refined earthen wares” has been answered by Silas Hurry’s reference to
> > “Bright Gold” gilding in my article “Telling Time for Archaeologists” in
> > Volume 29 of *Northeast Historical Archaeology*, page 1-22.  There is an
> > expanded discussion of bright gold gilding in my article “A Revised Set
> of
> > CC Index Values for Classification and Economic Scaling of English
> > Ceramics
> > from 1787 to 1880” *Historical Archaeology *1991 Vol. 25, No. 1:10.
> >
> >
> >
> > Robert Copeland’s book *Manufacturing Processes of Tableware during the
> > Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries* published in 2009 by the Northern
> > Ceramic Society has very useful descriptions and illustrations of the
> > various manufacturing processes in the Staffordshire potteries.  Chapter
> > 23, titled “Gold, Gilding and Lustres” has an excellent description of
> the
> > older gilding processes that involved gold and mercury that was used up
> > until the 1960s.  This gilding had to be burnished with a “blood stone”
> or
> > agate.  Gilders were a group of workers and this was restricted to the
> > high-end ceramics.  Robert also includes a history of the development of
> > bright gold gilding that reduced the cost of gilding and led to its
> > expanded use on cheap earthenware.  Gilding became common from the 1870s
> > and are still used extensively today on cheap ceramics.
> >
> >
> >
> > Peace,
> >
> > George L. Miller
> >
> > On Sat, Oct 3, 2015 at 5:27 AM, geoff carver <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> >
> > > They called it "Guzzaline" in the new film.
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > >
> > >
> > > Perhaps what George Miller refers to as "liquid gold"? (1870 - present)
> > >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> kevin m. donaghy
> graduate student
> Temple University
> Department of Anthropology
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Mon, 5 Oct 2015 19:01:42 +0100
> From:    "C. Cessford" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Archaeology of the Elderly
>
> Hi,
>
> Although much earlier in terms of period a good starting place is the
> work of Jo Appleby as some of the ideas are applicable:
>
> Appleby, J. 2011. Bodies, burials and ageing: the temporality of old age
> in prehistoric societies. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 30(3), 231-246.
>
> Appleby, J. 2010. Why We Need an Archaeology of Old Age, and a Suggested
> Approach. Norwegian Archaeological Review 43(2), 145-168.
>
> Yours
>
> Craig Cessford
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > While there appears to be a growing trend to study childhood, I have
> > not been able to find much work on the archaeology of the elderly. In
> > connection what do / should we call a study of people in their later
> > years? {Try searching archaeology and old in the same query!} Can we
> > really study the elderly though material culture (non
> > osteoarchaeology) or can we only study the process of aging? Any
> > thoughts and points in the right direction would be helpful.
> >
> > Yours,
> > Melonie Shier
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Mon, 5 Oct 2015 11:16:06 -0700
> From:    James Bard <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Archaeology of the Elderly
>
> Hi Melonie,
>
> You may have already seen this, but, it might be worth a look. It might
> suggest places where archaeological evidence could be found.
>
> http://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/history-caring-for-elders-08-06-2013/
>
> Jim Bard
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of C.
> Cessford
> Sent: Monday, October 05, 2015 11:02 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Archaeology of the Elderly
>
> Hi,
>
> Although much earlier in terms of period a good starting place is the work
> of Jo Appleby as some of the ideas are applicable:
>
> Appleby, J. 2011. Bodies, burials and ageing: the temporality of old age in
> prehistoric societies. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 30(3), 231-246.
>
> Appleby, J. 2010. Why We Need an Archaeology of Old Age, and a Suggested
> Approach. Norwegian Archaeological Review 43(2), 145-168.
>
> Yours
>
> Craig Cessford
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > While there appears to be a growing trend to study childhood, I have
> > not been able to find much work on the archaeology of the elderly. In
> > connection what do / should we call a study of people in their later
> > years? {Try searching archaeology and old in the same query!} Can we
> > really study the elderly though material culture (non
> > osteoarchaeology) or can we only study the process of aging? Any
> > thoughts and points in the right direction would be helpful.
> >
> > Yours,
> > Melonie Shier
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Mon, 5 Oct 2015 16:27:31 -0400
> From:    kristen baldwin deathridge <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Archaeology of the Elderly
>
> Melonie,
>
> There are a few studies that deal with aging in the Roman Empire. *Growing
> Up and Growing Old in Ancient Rome* (2002) is one. Try doing some searches
> for "aging" and variations on "Roman Archaeology."
>
> Regardless, I think there's room to do more here.
>
> Best,
>
> Kristen Baldwin Deathridge
>
>
> On Mon, Oct 5, 2015 at 2:16 PM, James Bard <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > Hi Melonie,
> >
> > You may have already seen this, but, it might be worth a look. It might
> > suggest places where archaeological evidence could be found.
> >
> > http://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/history-caring-for-elders-08-06-2013/
> >
> > Jim Bard
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of C.
> > Cessford
> > Sent: Monday, October 05, 2015 11:02 AM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Archaeology of the Elderly
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > Although much earlier in terms of period a good starting place is the
> work
> > of Jo Appleby as some of the ideas are applicable:
> >
> > Appleby, J. 2011. Bodies, burials and ageing: the temporality of old age
> in
> > prehistoric societies. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 30(3), 231-246.
> >
> > Appleby, J. 2010. Why We Need an Archaeology of Old Age, and a Suggested
> > Approach. Norwegian Archaeological Review 43(2), 145-168.
> >
> > Yours
> >
> > Craig Cessford
> >
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > While there appears to be a growing trend to study childhood, I have
> > > not been able to find much work on the archaeology of the elderly. In
> > > connection what do / should we call a study of people in their later
> > > years? {Try searching archaeology and old in the same query!} Can we
> > > really study the elderly though material culture (non
> > > osteoarchaeology) or can we only study the process of aging? Any
> > > thoughts and points in the right direction would be helpful.
> > >
> > > Yours,
> > > Melonie Shier
> >
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Tue, 6 Oct 2015 08:51:02 +1100
> From:    Denis Gojak <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Archaeology of the Elderly
>
> I studied a small Australian village established in the mid 1830s
> southwest of Sydney.  Three decades later the main railway came
> through, but crossed the road about 5 km way and established a
> railhead while the next section of line was built.  Rapidly
> businesses, services and eventually much of the population drifted
> north.   Very quickly the old village became dominated by
> female-headed households.  I think many of them would have been
> elderly, either widowed or with husbands in itinerant and mobile
> trades like shearing.
> In this case being elderly was very tightly bound up with economic
> marginalisation, which also had a good dollop of gender inequity.
> Being elderly would manifest in 'poverty' patterns across assemblages
> or at even broader indicators like cross-generational property
> succession and what different things happen between long periods of
> stasis versus occupant change.
> And on an entirely different note, our village was occupied by the
> Worlds Oldest Couple [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120724427
> [1]].
> In fact they weren't [92 and 89 years old, as opposed to the article's
> 112 and 107].  They lived in the decaying former inn with their son,
> the final publican.  We excavated a privy clearance deposit
> contemporary with the Worlds Oldest Couple but found no marker
> artefacts of old age.
> Denis Gojak
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY"
> To:
> Cc:
> Sent:Mon, 5 Oct 2015 15:03:08 +0000
> Subject:Archaeology of the Elderly
>
>  Hello,
>
>  While there appears to be a growing trend to study childhood, I have
> not been able to find much work on the archaeology of the elderly. In
> connection what do / should we call a study of people in their later
> years? {Try searching archaeology and old in the same query!} Can we
> really study the elderly though material culture (non
> osteoarchaeology) or can we only study the process of aging? Any
> thoughts and points in the right direction would be helpful.
>
>  Yours,
>  Melonie Shier
>
>
>
> Links:
> ------
> [1] http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120724427
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Mon, 5 Oct 2015 17:19:08 -0600
> From:    David Valentine <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Archaeology of the Elderly
>
> Melonie.
>
> You might look at:
>
> Lucy, Sam
> 2007 The Archaeology of Age. In Archaeology of Identity, edited by
> Margarita Díaz-Andreu, Sam Lucy, Staša Babič and David N. Edwards, pp.
> 43-66. Routledge, New York.
>
> Hope things are going well for you,
> Dave
>
> On Mon, Oct 5, 2015 at 3:51 PM, Denis Gojak <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > I studied a small Australian village established in the mid 1830s
> > southwest of Sydney.  Three decades later the main railway came
> > through, but crossed the road about 5 km way and established a
> > railhead while the next section of line was built.  Rapidly
> > businesses, services and eventually much of the population drifted
> > north.   Very quickly the old village became dominated by
> > female-headed households.  I think many of them would have been
> > elderly, either widowed or with husbands in itinerant and mobile
> > trades like shearing.
> > In this case being elderly was very tightly bound up with economic
> > marginalisation, which also had a good dollop of gender inequity.
> > Being elderly would manifest in 'poverty' patterns across assemblages
> > or at even broader indicators like cross-generational property
> > succession and what different things happen between long periods of
> > stasis versus occupant change.
> > And on an entirely different note, our village was occupied by the
> > Worlds Oldest Couple [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120724427
> > [1]].
> > In fact they weren't [92 and 89 years old, as opposed to the article's
> > 112 and 107].  They lived in the decaying former inn with their son,
> > the final publican.  We excavated a privy clearance deposit
> > contemporary with the Worlds Oldest Couple but found no marker
> > artefacts of old age.
> > Denis Gojak
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY"
> > To:
> > Cc:
> > Sent:Mon, 5 Oct 2015 15:03:08 +0000
> > Subject:Archaeology of the Elderly
> >
> >  Hello,
> >
> >  While there appears to be a growing trend to study childhood, I have
> > not been able to find much work on the archaeology of the elderly. In
> > connection what do / should we call a study of people in their later
> > years? {Try searching archaeology and old in the same query!} Can we
> > really study the elderly though material culture (non
> > osteoarchaeology) or can we only study the process of aging? Any
> > thoughts and points in the right direction would be helpful.
> >
> >  Yours,
> >  Melonie Shier
> >
> >
> >
> > Links:
> > ------
> > [1] http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120724427
> >
> >
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of HISTARCH Digest - 3 Oct 2015 to 5 Oct 2015 (#2015-177)
> *************************************************************
>