Mail*LinkŪ SMTP Reuse/recycling
I wrote a brief article "Bottles for Jam" in Australian Archaeology (in 1993
I think) on the recycling of a beer bottle into a jam jar by the removal of
the neck. I tried to tie the process into the pioneer ethos of "making do" as
the site was from a sawmilling site deep in the forests. I also made coment
on the difficulty this artefact would pose for analysing material culture.
I also made note of the recycling of transfer printed ceramics through the
medium of opp shops and other charities. This came about through catalouging
a fragment of ceramic lovingly excavated from Lake Condah Mission and then
washing the dishes at home and finding the same manufacturers mark! Looking
at other collections of ceramics in the house I thought if 37 Castlemaine
Street really did collapse (as it has threatened to do) then an archaeologist
digging up the remains would have real trouble with the mean ceramic date not
to mention ascribing function to artefacts.
An interesting problem as sort of emic/ettic problem and no doubt there is an
extensive littrature on the question.
If anyone is interested I can sent copies of the article.
Can anyone tell me why I recently got the "your are now subscribed to
Histarch" posting. I have never unsubscribed!
Iain Stuart
Uni of Sydney
