Artifacts in Focus: Anchor Cuff Links (April 22, 2020)

This pair of cuff links that contain a stamp anchor design were found at the White Hill Mansion site in Fieldsboro, Burlington County, NJ. They were recovered in 2014 during Monmouth University's archaeological survey of the 18th-century property, which contains a large patterned brick mansion, typical of those erected in the Delaware Valley. The cuff links have been owned by Robert Field, a merchant, who was likely responsible for erecting the mansion in the mid-18th century. Robert died on the eve of the American Revolution, leaving his wife, Mary a widow. Alternatively, the cuff links may have been owned by Mary's second husband, Captain Thomas Read, the first Commodore of the Continental Navy. Read resided at White Hill until his death in 1788, again leaving Mary a widow, responsible for ensuring her son, Robert, and daughter, Mary, married into a wealthy family. That year, younger Mary wed Richard Stockton, son of the Richard Stockton who signed the Declaration of Independence. Young Robert Field wed Abigail Stockton. The Stockton family owned a large estate, known as Morven, in Princeton, which stands to present day. The marriages solidified the Field family's economic survival and political relevance.  

📸: Michael Gall

Artifacts in Focus: Stoneware with Watchspring Motif (April 15, 2020)

These sherds from the ASNJ’s Dunham House excavations are excellent examples of American stoneware. This distinctive type of stoneware originated during the eighteenth century in the American colonies, and it was composed of a generally gray or brown-colored body with blue painted or incised decorations and a salt-glaze finish. This form evolved from German traditions when multiple potters emigrated to the New World during the early 1700s and established local potteries, producing ceramics with familiar styles for a new market. New Jersey has a rich history of local ceramic production, and was one of the greatest producers of American stoneware.

One of the most important and influential potteries in 18th century America was established by the Morgan family in Cheesequake (located in modern-day Old Bridge, NJ). Morgan stoneware was often decorated with a distinctive “watchspring” motif, a brushed-on blue spiral design. These sherds from the Dunham House demonstrate this distinctive Morgan design and are great examples of New Jersey’s significant role in the early pottery industry.

📸: Sadie Dasovich

📩: Richard Adamczyk

Artifacts in Focus: Transfer Print Ironstone (April 8, 2020)

This ironstone mug fragment was recovered from a stream in Middletown, New Jersey. The stream is adjacent to the historic Middletown Village, which is home to many homes dating to the early 18th century, in addition to one bicentennial house situated about a quarter mile upstream. Ironstone, which was primarily produced from the mid 19th to the mid 20th century, was often decorated with molded designs such as the paneled foliage motif seen in this piece. Foliage motifs were most popular in the 1850s and 1860s.

With a background in botany, the finder of this fragment sees a resemblance between the foliage depicted on this mug and the native plant Uvularia (or Merrybells), which can be seen in Tatum County Park! What do you think? Is it possible that this mug was used by a member of one of the nearby households in the 19th century? 

📸: Kyle Clayton

Artifacts in Focus: Dunham House Assemblage (April 1, 2020)

More from the ASNJ’s Dunham House archaeological excavation last summer! This is a selection of artifacts that date from the 18th century and are associated with the Samuel Barron household from 1750-1801.

They include (top row) two buckles, a pin, a bone fan blade for a lady's hand fan, a knife, a chisel, a fragment of Morgan Pottery stoneware with a watch spring motif and a tobacco pipe stem; (bottom row) North Midlands hollowware, white salt glazed stoneware plate, dipped white salted glazed stoneware mug, porcelain with landscape motif, manganese mottled mug, and tin glazed earthenware plate. 

The assemblage represents a mix of imported goods and locally produced ceramics. Items like the fan blade, also highlight a household of wealth. Pins, like the one in the image, were used to fasten clothing and paper together and represented the 18th-century equivalent of the modern-day paper clip and velcro. Buckles, like the two in the image, were abound in the 18th century and used to fasten pants, shoes, stockings, leather straps, satchels, luggage, etc. 

📸: Michael Gall

Artifacts in Focus: LeCroy Projectile Point (March 25, 2020)

This is one of Hopewell Museum's oldest objects. It is called a LeCroy projectile point. This one is made of a roseate quartz and is probably about 8000 years old.

“The LeCroy blade was named by Madeline Kneberg in 1956 for examples found on the LeCroy Site near the Tennessee River in Hamilton County, TN. The location, itself, was named for the modern finder of this ancient site, Archie LeCroy. The LeCroy is the most famous of the bifurcated blade family but it certainly is not the only one – in fact it is somewhat late in the ancestral line of this artifact type. There have been some successful stratigraphic excavations of bifurcated blades thus giving us chronological evidence of the ages of the various types in this family and how to correctly align their successions. The classification of these blades as bifurcates is because their stems are split or divided on the basal edge – thus bifurcated. These blades are now believed to have been used mostly as knives because their basally notched stems would have been very effective knife hafting areas and because many, if not most, bifurcates have been sharpened and re-sharpened, as cutting tools, down to the short nubby and expended sizes that we generally find today. Many bifurcates have serrated blade edges and it is believed that serrations were used mainly on re-sharpened knives since it would have given the tools saw-tooth sides and greatly increased the cutting abilities. Some, though, most likely would have been used only as dart or small spear points.”

You can learn more about this type of point at http://www.jimmausartifacts.com/to-lecroy-or-not-to-lecroy/.

📸: Ian Burrow

ASNJ Bulletin Update and Membership Renewal Form

Dear ASNJ Member,

The ASNJ appreciates your continued interest and support of our programs, publications, lectures, and outings. The ASNJ's Bulletin No 74 has been printed and is at Monmouth University. It is through your continued support and membership that the ASNJ remains economically viable and can continue its educational programing. 

It is with great disappointment that Bulletin No. 74 cannot be shipped at this time due to the temporary closure of Monmouth University during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The University will remain closed until further notice. Once the University reopens and staff is permitted to return to campus, the bulletins will be mailed out to all 2019 members. The 2019 Bulletin features nine information-packed articles with data from the Paleoindian period to the Revolutionary War, and also includes an an interview with an outstanding archaeologist.

The ASNJ's Bulletin Editor, Richard Veit, Ph.D., has enough copy for a full 2020 Bulletin and submitted articles are currently being reviewed and edited. He has tirelessly worked to put together the most recent Bulletin, a great addition to the varied program of archaeological and educational outreach provided by the society. Please email Richard Veit at rveit@monmouth.edu if you'd like to provide content for future Bulletins. 

Sincerely, 

Michael J. Gall

ASNJ President

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*** IMPORTANT REMINDER ***

The ASNJ would also like to provide a reminder that, if you haven't done so already, 2020 renewal membership can be made in two ways. 

You can quickly and easily renew on our website at: 

https://www.asnj.org/asnj-membership

or 

if you prefer to mail in your membership form, please click here to download the form, print and fill out the form, make out a check payable to the Archaeological Society of New Jersey, and mail the form and check to:

ASNJ
c/o Jesse Walker
320 Brook St
Bristol, PA 19007

Artifacts in Focus: Pearlware Plate Rim (March 18, 2020)

This Pearlware plate rim fragment was discovered in a box of artifacts from an old collection that is being rehoused. Pearlware can sometimes be difficult to identify, but this piece offered us some nice hints with its generally blue-toned color and blue specks observable in the glaze, which are two strong pieces of evidence for its identification!

This particular piece is believed to have been produced sometime in the 1820s or 1830s, based on the presence of the embossed foliage motif around the rim, a popular decorative style in that period. Old collections can sometimes prove to be illusive in terms of provenience, as the paperwork associated with them is often missing or has not been read in so long that a bit of contextual untangling must be performed before conclusions can be drawn! With time, we will understand the story of this little fragment better. 😊

If you have found yourself with some new time on your hands, you can learn more about collections management here: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1802/collections_mgt.htm.

📸: Alexis Alemy

Artifacts in Focus: Debased Westerwald (March 11, 2020)

This probable tankard fragment was recovered from the Buried A horizon of an archaeological excavation. Buried A soil horizons may be indicative of a buried living surface (one on which historic people might have walked!) in archaeological terms, and sometimes contain within them dateable and unexpected artifacts! You can learn more about buried soil horizons here: https://www.sassa.org.uk/index.php/Tutorial:Buried_Soils.

This grey-bodied salt glazed stoneware fragment is stylized similarly to German Westerwald stonewares, but lacks the quality typically expected from them. It is believed to be a fragment of what is known as “debased” Westerwald, identifiable by its comparatively crude hand-painted design and generally poorer quality. Likely locally produced, the production of this fragment may range from about 1714 to 1760.

📸: Michael Brown

Artifacts in Focus: Transfer Print Ironstone (March 4, 2020)

Ironstone isn’t likely to rock the boat on an archaeological excavation as it is a relatively common find ranging in production from about the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. This Ironstone bowl base fragment broke in all the right places, however, revealing a charming boat scene - perhaps one that is reminiscent of the Lewis and Clark expedition. What do you think??

Ironstone, a durable refined earthenware, is often dated based on its decorative style and color, as certain motifs and colors were more heavily produced within a particular range of time. This example is transfer printed in light blue, placing its production within the approximate range of 1840 to 1867.

Its period of use, however, is largely dependent upon the archaeological context in which it was found, which might indicate that it was used much later than that. Unfortunately, this piece was displaced and its actual period of use is unknown.

You can learn more about archaeological methods of dating (no dinner required!) here: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/dating-in-archaeology?fbclid=IwAR16mVoB71IIBGGZN3eaasCnApSNRAW1qhGGZuZveWO-8cgCjUKHy_eeOGw

📸: Alexis Alemy

Gloucester County Chapter: May 2020 Artifact Show

Join the Gloucester C. Chapter of the ASNJ at the 23nd Annual Artifact Show

Wednesday May 6 from 6pm-8:45pm
West Deptford Public Library
420 Crown Point Rd
Thorofare, NJ 08086

Open to the public: Free admission

Image taken during the 22nd Annual Artifact Show (May 2019)

Artifacts in Focus: Personal Artifact Collection (February 26, 2020)

This assemblage of artifacts is part of the personal collection of the Mydlowski family, mostly found during the 1960s in Mercer County. The prehistoric artifacts in this image range from the Early Archaic through the Late Woodland periods and are made from a range of materials including argillite, chert, Cuesta quartzite and jasper. Mostly projectile points, the collection also includes drills and a hammerstone. When this assemblage was analyzed in 2013 during the graduate work of Evan Mydlowski, some items were determined to be non-cultural. Two other items in the collection are historic, including the gun powder horn and the hatchet/hand axe blade.  

This collection, generously shared with us today, includes many more artifacts than are pictured here. It also includes a variety of flakes and other stone tools that are not usually deemed “display worthy”. It is the hope of Evan that these artifacts will also be analyzed and cataloged in the future. 

If you have any interpretations of the artifacts in this assemblage to offer, please let us know! History and archaeology are an ongoing process; one that is improved by the shared knowledge of those who engage with it. 

📸: Evan Mydlowski

March 2020 Quarterly Meeting Agenda

UPDATE 3/11/20

The ASNJ is cancelling our March 2020 meeting scheduled for this Saturday, March 14th, due to TCNJ’s request to limit gatherings on school property in the wake of the corona virus threat. We are eager to find ways to reschedule the meeting for a later date. We will keep members apprised of the reschedule date once it is determined.

Thank you!

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Archaeological Society of New Jersey March Meeting

Meeting date: Saturday March 14, 2020

Location: Gitenstein Library Auditorium at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ)
(the auditorium is located in the library basement)

Address: 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing Township, NJ 08618

Parking: Lots 4, 5, 6 and 7 will be open to visitors. Parking Passes are Required (available here). Please print your pass ahead of the meeting. Extra passes may be available onsite on a limited basis.

Campus map: Go to https://tcnj.edu/about/campus-info/campus-map/

Lecture Series (Gitenstein Library Auditorium)  

11 am - Noon: Board Meeting, All are welcome.

Noon - 1 pm: Lunch (Bring your own/explore campus offerings)

1 - 1:15 pm: Presidents Welcome

1:15 - 1:30 pm: Book Auction (tentative)

1:30 - 1:45 pm: Gender roles in Colonial America: Can ceramics be used as complimentary evidence? by Kiira Jeffers and George Leader, TCNJ

Gender roles changed drastically between colonial and post-colonial America. In colonial America, men and women often worked in the same areas of the farm, while in post-colonial America, women were designated the “private sphere” of the home while men were allowed to work in the public sphere. This paper argues that artifactual data, specifically ceramics, can be used to support already known knowledge about gender roles in the late 18th and early 19th century. The presence of high-quality ceramics could be an indicator of a wealthy family or of a lower-class family buying expensive ceramics but both options lead to a growing middle-class idea of eating together with family. This idea also indicated that he family was well-off and allowed for the wife to be the head of the house. The gender roles of women being placed in the domestic sphere and men in the public sphere can still be seen today, despite strides made in gender.

1:45 - 2 pm: A contextual assessment of entheseal changes in a skeletal sample from historic Philadelphia (ca 1702-1859) by Genevieve F. Duran and Jared S. Beatrice, TCNJ

Characterized by rapid change during the colonial and post-colonial periods, Philadelphia developed into one of the world’s most prominent cities. The recent accidental discovery of the historic (ca 1702-1859) First Baptist Church of Philadelphia cemetery provides a unique opportunity to examine lifeways during this time. This study uses sociocultural, historical, and anthropological perspectives to investigate evidence for activity patterns in a subsample of human skeletal remains from the cemetery.

2 - 2:15 pm: William Green Plantation: Mounting evidence for the presence of Washington's Cavalry (1777-1778) by Erin Meyer and George Leader, TCNJ

The William Green house was built in 1722 and was continuously occupied by the Green Family for four generations.  Documents have indicated that some of the Greens were members of Washington's militia during the revolution.  The plantation itself is named as a billet for the Light Cavalry throughout the war.  Here we discuss new evidence further adding to this claim.

2:15 - 2:30 pm: “Time of a Black boy”: Slavery in New Jersey and the William Green Plantation by Kristin Bridges and George Leader, TCNJ

Growing evidence suggests that the Green Family were slave holders. Their New Jersey homestead, the William Green Plantation was built around 1720. Recent archaeological excvations have recovered thousands of colonial aged artifacts but there remains little physical evidence of slavery.  Mounting archival evidence paints a different picture, one of the Green Family as slave holders and links slavery to the property itself. Here we discuss the new evidence and future research.

2:30 pm: A Walking Tour of The William Green House provided by George Leader *The house is a short 5 minute walk from the meeting space.

Artifacts in Focus: Cast Iron Toy Bank (February 19, 2020)

Privies, which are essentially historic outhouses, can contain a wealth of information about the individuals who used them and are remarkably reflective of the time period of their use! "Archaeologists have found that privies embody 'ideas about cleanliness, health, beauty, and privacy, as well as providing data on diet, socioeconomic status, divisions between households, construction methods, and maintenance behavior,' according to Kathleen Wheeler..."

This cast iron toy bank was recovered from a privy identified during an archaeological excavation. What might this object say about the individuals who used the privy?

Learn about privies and their historical significance here: https://daily.jstor.org/privies-vaults-of-the-past/, and let us know what you think about this fantastic find! 

📸: Joshua Butchko

ASNJ Research Grant 2020 Recipient: Dorothy Both

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Congratulations to Dorothy Both, recipient of the ASNJ Research Grant! Dot will be using this grant to further her thesis research, which will be featured in our next newsletter!

You can learn more about the research grant and apply for it yourself here:

https://www.asnj.org/research-grant

Artifacts in Focus: Rancocas Projectile Point (February 12, 2020)

This week’s #artifactinfocus is short, sweet, and to the point! 

This is a pre-contact period broken quartz projectile point found along the North Branch of the Rancocas Creek during an archaeological survey. 11,000 years ago, humans started populating the Rancocas Valley. Native Americans relied on the Rancocas Creek for fishing and trapping, as well as transportation and irrigation.   

“The earliest Europeans named the creek for Remkokes, the native king who occupied the surrounding lands. Whether this was the traditional name given to the stream by the indigenous people is unknown.”  (https://rcnwt.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/theforksoftherancocas.pdf)  

📸: Allison Gall 

Artifacts in Focus: Lens (February 5, 2020)

This week, we have selected an object of curiosity, described as: "A quirky little lens found recently on a site in Trenton, NJ. The edge is threaded. Thoughts on what it's a part of?"

Please leave your insight in the comments on our social media platforms! We look forward to hearing your ideas!

📸: Joshua Butchko

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Artifacts in Focus: Porcelain Saucer (January 29, 2020)

We have a rare treat for you this week! We received two submissions of the same artifact by two different individuals, showing the moment it was discovered in the field and the moment it was pieced back together after the excavation.

This porcelain saucer was made between the 1750s and 1790s, and was found in a context dated to 1801 at the Dunham House in Woodbridge, NJ during the society’s recent research excavation in September 2019. The saucer was used by the Barron Family, who occupied the house until 1870.

The Barron name was an important one in town, as the family was one of the first to settle in Woodbridge in the late seventeenth century. Well known for their patriotism and philanthropy, the Barrons made many contributions to their country and town.

You can learn more about the Barron family and the history of Woodbridge here: https://www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/935/Woodbridge-Walking-Tour-Map---Volume-I-PDF.

Learn more about ASNJ field excavations here, and keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities to dig! https://www.asnj.org/volunteer-digs

👀: Discovered by Joshua Butchko
🍽: Reassembled by Michael Gall