All,

We are excavating in the midst of a nineteenth century leather tanning
facility and came across this barrel on top of a wooden base. The wooden
base is several layers, and is very heavy. There does not appear to be a
hole in the bottom of the barrel connecting it to what is below. It appears
to continue into the ground. We have not removed it yet because we're
trying to understand what it is first.

We are hoping that it is not a capped artesian well (there is one noted on
the Sanborn Insurance maps nearby, and we haven't found it yet) that was
the main source of water for the tannery.

It does not appear to have any drains from the tanning vats going into it,
which is odd, because we are finding a very complicated drainage system
designed around and beneath the vats. The barrel itself had some
raffia-type wrapping on it when it was new, likely related to it's original
function rather than it's secondary use as whatever it is now.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/158287938@N02/33618332178/in/dateposted/

Has anyone seen anything like this or do you know what it is?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give us.

Linda Hylkema, RPA
Director, Cultural Resource Management, Santa Clara University
W: *408-554-4513* | C: *408-219-5748* | Ricard Observatory | 500 El Camino
Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053
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