In the early 1990s this office excavated a garrison house/farmstead in
Topsham, Maine, occupied from 1761 through 1990.  One of the three privys we
found was loaded with complete ceramic pieces, some creamwares, lots of
pearlwares, and redwares.  No ironstone, hardwhite or glass was found.  It
appeared from the artifacts the privy was filled in around mid-19th century.
I speculated this happened either in 1860 when the eldest son married and
brought his new bride to the homestead and she cleaned out the mother's "old"
dishes or three years later when the mother died.
 
    Another privy that I feel represents a form of "housecleaning" was
excavated at the site of Fort Halifax in Winslow, Maine.  The fort was built
in 1754 and decommissioned in 1766, then used as a government trading post
until the Revoultion when a few local troops were stationed there.  The privy
contained complete and partial pieces of case and wine bottles, tumblers,
pharmaceutical bottles, four halves from sandglasses, complete and portions
of porcelains, white saltglaze, delftware, jackfield and other redwares.
Military items were also found such as grape shot and a brass trigger guard
that was still rough cast having not been fitted to a gun.  The lower strata
suggested the pirvy had been in use but the artifacts were distributed
throughout all the fill strata as well.  Cross-mends were made between all
strata suggesting the filling of the privy occurred over a short time
period.  At present I can't explain the reason for this "housecleaning" but
judging by the artifacts feel it might have occurred at decommissioning of
the fort or when the trader moved in, but why is my question.  Research is
still being done on the Fort project so more info may show up.
 
    Hope this might add to your project.  More detailed info is available.
 
Regards,
Lee Cranmer
Maine Historic Preservation Commission
55 Capitol St.
Augusta, ME 04333
207 287-2132
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