Mail*Link(r) SMTP               Dating Bricks II
 
Susan's posting reminded me of a failed attempt to measure brick density by
displacement which invloved depositing bricks into a measured volume of water
in a bucket. There must be room in archaeology for a journal "Epics in
Experimental Archaeology" where such experiments can be published. Density
would be dependant on two factors, pressing and pugging. I assume that a
mechanically pressed brick would be of grater density than a hand moulded one.
Also I wonder whether pugging which aims to break down the lumps in the clay
would also effect the density. Certainly pugging is an important factor to
consider in analysisisng bricks.
 
To clarify my comments I was dealing mainly with bricks from Melbourne an
large urban area where the brick yards were more or less fixed and thus
production even for hand made bricks could be consistant. Outside Melbourne in
the rural areas and particualrlly in the early period of Victoria's settlement
(1835-1855) brick makers seem to have moved from site to site making bricks as
required for specific projects. Some also seem to have been semi-professional
undertaking other rural activities as well. A few seem to have come looking
for gold and stayed to build the towns and industry that sprang out of the
gold boom. It might be interesting to see whether ethnic or regional
differences in brick size or manufacturing could be found as Susan seems to
have found in Iowa.
 
Iain Stuart
University of Sydney