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Buttons Seven garment buttons permit chronological assessment as follows: a single-hole bone disc type (LH 76) most likely falls between 1726 to 1776; a 2-hole porcelain button dates most probably between 1800 and 1830 (LH 90); three 2-hole shell buttons are relegated to the period 1800-1830 (LH 145); 2 porcelain 4-hole buttons were apparently not recorded in the field, but are thought to be later still in time. Shell and Bone The following marine species were recovered: whole valve of the Smooth Whelk, Oyster (0. Virginica), Hardshell Clam or Quahog (Venus mercenaria), the "Boatshell" (Crepidula), and the Oyster Drill. These are presumably partly remains of food preparation and probably partly from use in the cited lime mortars. A number of finished bone rings of unknown date are likely curtain rings, while a polished bone object is perhaps a cuff link or perhaps a gaming device. Food species represented by bone scrap include Whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus), pig (Sus scrofa), ox (Bovis sp.) and various domestic fowls. Ceramics and Glassware One of the most numerous and chronologically-sensitive materials present at most colonial homesteads is ceramics and associated glasswares. This material has been condensed into Table 1. Our 6-inch and even shallower horizons of cultural material at Lambert House did not show vertical separations among these types. This is not too surprising when the character of the cellar floor is taken into account: many pieces are scattered presumably where they fell, or where people have trampled over them, crunching them from the surface into predominantly the top three inches of soil. Generations of churning, rooting, and scraping have obliterated inherent microstratigraphy which may have originally been present; many pieces are several inches long and penetrate or lie through the whole horizon top to bottom.
Table 1. Ceramic Analysis at Lambert House In short, the stratigraphic build-up familiar on subaerial sites with occupancy measured in tens of hundreds of years, did not form under the much shorter span for the cellar in this enclosed house. It is, of course, possible that the cellar was periodically cleaned, thus removing early horizons. · Fig. 10. Plate rims from Lambert House. a) Ironstone white ware, dating to 1820+, and showing shell edge decoration (in blue); b) Shell Edge Pearlware, dating 1780-1830 (in green); c) Overglaze enamel polychrome Chinese porcelain fragment, ca. 1795-1825. Scale = 1 in. However, of 156 pieces of pottery submitted to D. Rittner for expert analysis (virtually the entire inventory), there was a definite shift to types most popular in late 18th and early 19th century contexts. He says: “The majority of ceramic pieces were (sic) too small to identify as to pattern, except for the common Willow print, developed on Pearlwares after 1792. The majority of identifiable pieces were transfer printed designs in underglaze blue. Transfer printing was a technique perfected after 1756 but became popular at the end of the 18th Century. Pearlwares, (cobalt added to the glaze for a mother-of-pearl effect) were the most common ceramic type in your collection. This ceramic type is the usual majority type found on early 19th Century sites. The shell-edge pearlwares, common in your collection, is (sic) the most frequent pearlware found. What is unusual about your collection is the shell-edge color is usually blue whereas in your collection, the rims are more frequently green. Most likely, a personal preference. Mochaware, represented by a creamer, is a pearlware, specifically an annular pearlware with fern-like designs created from a mixture of tobacco juice and urine. It has a time span of 1795-1890. “Pearlwares were replaced by various hard paste wares, commonly called Whiteware. These whitewares, in turn, varied in composition and were known as Ironstones, semi-porcelains, hotel china, etc. They were taking over in popularity about 1820. Unfortunately, they are difficult to date unless maker's marks are on the pieces, so a date of 1820+ is assigned to them. Creamwares, 3rd on the list in frequency, are thin, hardfired, pale yellow earthenwares covered with a clear glaze. They were perfected by Wedgewood around 1762. Red earthenwares,also abundant in your collection are another type which was commonly used during the 18th and early 19th centuries. These were usually in the form of plates, storage containers, etc... (D. Rittner 1975, pers. comm.).” Discussion The preceding observations help extend the mainly literary record which exists for events at Lambert House. They suggest David Lambert first started building his house around 1720 by excavating his cellar and then laying-up fieldstone foundation walls around a central unexcavated "island," later destined to be the main support for the heavy fireplaces and chimneys. This much is in conformity with building practices of the period. Local irregularities in the walls (jogs, setbacks) while stimulating speculation at this late date as to purpose, are really probably best explained as results of the non-standardized approach of farmer/craftsmen builders of the period plus personal idiosyncrasy; they do not support speculations of underground chambers in which slaves and perhaps other unfortunates pined away their days. A surprising variety of domestic activities
may have taken place in the cellar, based on presence of artifacts
recovered. (This bars their accidental deposit; the associational nature
of thimbles, plus curtain rings, and "sad" irons suggests actual activity
centers). Butchering Presence of deer bones,
including fragments of the mandible, is prima facie evidence for
hunting, and ox bones and a tusk of Sus scrofa , the
domestic pig, suggest that skinning and butchering of domestic animals may
have been done in the cellar. Presence of shellfish valves likewise
suggests shucking or preparation of shellfish for consumption. "Oyster
Drills" and "Boatshells" among the remains are probably not dietary
evidence but more likely reflect methods of taking shellfish, i.e.,
scooping technique from bottom muds with near total recovery of edible and
inedible species (Brennan 1974). These latter species may also relate to
lime preparation as noted previously. Carpentry/Woodworking The presence of the flat
chisel, file, and auger bit suggests joinery and woodworking and would
not, indeed, be out of place in cellars of modern homes in the vicinity.
Cabinet latches, stray hinges, and nails of all periods lend further
support to this inference. Sewing/Laundering The occurrence of several
rusted "sad" irons attests to former activities of ironing and pressing;
the thimble, the buttons, the probable cut-bone curtain rings, and other
objects may indicate sewing and needlework. Spirit Storage The onetime "secret
chamber," with the tendency for cut-glass decanter fragments and bottle
stoppers to cluster in front of it, might best be interpreted as a wine or
spirit storage place, perhaps in use during the early 1800's when the
family's fortunes in its import/ export business were flourishing (the
Chinese coin comes from this area of the cellar, too).
Tavern There is not good
evidence that guests were ever housed or served in the cellar, despite the
presence of several green glass bottle "kicks" and other fragments.
Missing from the fireplace area are any concentrations of ball clay pipe
fragments, coins, buttons, broken bottles or other trash that might be
anticipated from gatherings of convivial Colonials. Child's Play Area The toy soldier and the
rusted wind-up toy may suggest the cellar was a play area for young
Lamberts during inclement weather. Ceramics Dispersals It would be unfounded to
suggest that all sherds in the cellar represent in situ losses or
breakages. Surely the better and more expensive pieces must have been
broken elsewhere and found their way here as result of different notions
of housekeeping in centuries past. Teapot fragments, of which we have a
few at Lambert House, have elsewhere been held as indicating that the
citizens of the time were more in revolt against political notions of the
English homeland than they were against social customs of the British.
Thus, during the Revolution, tea drinking prevailed as a formal,
widespread habit spread among the Colonials even as they rebelled against
their British cousins (G. P. Moran 1976). Perhaps this was the case with
the Lamberts; however, it should be noted that they are said to have been
sympathetic to the Crown during those tumultuous times and thus were more
"British" in their customs and habits. ________________________________ I especially thank Don Rittner, Director, Pine Bush Historic Preservation Project, State University of New York, Albany, New York, for his patient assessment of the recovered inventory at Lambert House. I also thank Mrs. A. E. Rideout, past president of the Wilton Historical Society, for permissions and other courtesies which enabled us to carry out our field work. Mrs. Timothy T. Merwin, then Administrative Secretary, Wilton Historical Society, also provided helpful leads and access to some useful documents. I thank Hillel Kaslove, then-Associate Curator of Modern Coins with The American Numismatic Society, New York, for comment on the Chinese coin recovered at Lambert House. Lastly, I thank John Stumpf and Bob Grathwohl, both of Norwalk, Connecticut for assistance in handling, photographing and interpreting the inventory of artifacts, and Louis Miller of Wilton for a metal detector survey of the cellar floor completed after conclusion of our formal work. REFERENCES
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