Iain,

You are, of course, absolutely correct in pointing out that
where Australia-recovered nails are imported from the US (or
found on US-made wrecked ships), then US nail technology
chronologies will be relevant.  My perhaps badly-phrased
point was simply that Australia and NZ-based archaeologists
shouldn't assume that US nail chronologies are always
relevant, expecially when dealing with locally-made
materials.  The same is broadly true of most locally-made
material culture when compared to its US or UK-made
equivalent.

And the Miles Lewis reference you cite is an excellent
resource that deserves wider recognition.

Alasdair



[log in to unmask] Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2004 19:39:33 +1000
From: Iain Stuart <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Nails

Unless of course Alisdair, Melbournians imported nails from
the US just like they imported houses and other things.
There is a very interesting and erudite chapter in Miles
Lewis's on-line publication Australian Building a Cultural
Investigation at
http://www.arbld.unimelb.edu.au/~milesbl/dbmenu.html

which discusses nails (under metals).

Another point to consider is that US made ships if wrecked
in Australia would of course have American fastenings.

I have a screw in my foot that looks like it came out of one
of those hardware catalogues.

yours

Iain Stuart

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