December 2016 – Artifact of the Month
To Artifact of the Month Index
To PAF Home
~~~
Horn Core
This large horn core was one of 404 cattle horns and horn parts found during excavations undertaken at the site of the forthcoming Museum of the American Revolution (opening at Third and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia in 2017). The horn core was discovered in a privy, or outhouse shaft, associated with a small house that once stood in the vicinity during the early 18th century.
Archaeologist Rebecca Yamin holds a horn core specimen recovered at the site of the Museum of the American Revolution.
Horn cores (the inner shaft of a cattle horn), along with smashed skull fragments and leather scraps, are commonly found on archaeological sites relating to the tanning industry — specifically, workshops where laborer’s turned animal skins into leather. It is likely that the tanning waste discovered at the location of the Museum of the American Revolution came originally from a tan yard on Dock Creek, a tidal waterway just to the south of the Museum site, where Philadelphia’s early tanning industry was located. The privy, which was closed in the 1730s, was near an alley that led to Dock Creek. The inhabitant of the nearby house probably worked in one of the tan yards.
The pollution caused by tanning led to the filling of Dock Creek in the 1740s. The creek bed is now covered by Dock Street which, in following the previous natural water course, departs from Philadelphia’s otherwise geometric grid plan. The American Philosophical Society map below shows the creek and several of the tanneries located in the vicinity during the 18th century (Drawing Dock Creek: Winifred Lutz, APS webpage accessed November 29, 2016). The new Museum of the American Revolution replaces the Independence Living History Center shown in the center of the map.
Read more about archaeology at the site of the Museum of the American Revolution:
Finding Treasures Beneath the Soil
Making the Museum, archaeology blog
Read more about Industrial Archaeology in Philadelphia
Workshop of the World-Philadelphia (Oliver Evans Chapter, Society for Industrial Archaeology)
News Coverage related to this archaeology site:
Archaeological Excavation at Site of New Museum of the American Revolution Traces Philadelphia’s Transformation Since the 17th Century, Heritage Daily, July 8th, 2016.
Historic Toilets Tell the Tale of Philadelphia’s Revolutionary History, History Channel, July 7, 2016.
Check Out The Crap They Found In Philadelphia’s 18th-Century Toilets, Gizmodo Australia, July 7th, 2016
Treasures from American history found preserved in 300-year-old human poop in an old brothel, Washington Post, July 7, 2016.
Archaeologists unearth historical treasure trove from 300-year-old Philadelphia toilets, Fox News Philadelphia, July 7th, 2016
Philly’s Poo: Old Toilets Reveal Early America’s Secret History, LiveScience, July 6, 2016
82,000 artifacts found at site of new Philadelphia museum, Geeksided, July 6, 2016
Archaeologists unearth 87,000 artifacts including wig curlers and a punch bowl dating back to the American Revolution while digging up 250-year-old toilets in Philadelphia, Daily Mail, July 2, 2016.
What a Toilet Shows About Life During the American Revolution, The finds from an 18th-century Philadelphia privy have researchers flush with excitement. National Geographic, July 1, 2016.
Archaeologists Find Thousands of Artifacts in Old Philly Toilets, Privy pits at the site of the future Museum of the American Revolution provided a wealth of artifacts for archaeologists, Philadelphia Magazine, July 1, 2016.
Artifacts Spanning Three Centuries Unearthed in Philadelphia, Archaeology Magazine, May 25, 2016.
82K Artifacts Unearthed at Museum of the American Revolution Site; From really old buttons to a prized punch bowl, Curbed Philly, May 24, 2016
Archaeologists Uncover 82,000 Artifacts at American Revolution Museum Site in Philadelphia, The findings were hailed as giving a glimpse into the history of Philly, NBC Philadelphia, May 23, 2016.
Archaeologists uncover centuries of Philly history beneath former visitors center Discoveries include wig curlers, marbles and print types, Philly VOICE, May 23, 2016.
Philly’s revolutionary history unearthed beneath museum site, Philadelphia Inquirer, May 20, 2016
Privy Contents Become Public During Dig for Revolutionary Museum, Newsworks, May 18th
Archaeologists Recover Artifacts Under Museum Construction Site in Philadelphia, Popular Archaeology, Jan. 7, 2015
~~~~
This Artifact of the Month feature’s content was provided courtesy of Dr. Rebecca Yamin (November 21, 2016).
by admin