Pit 68: Level 1

Completed September 14, 2014 by Adriana, Jeff, and Sean Fauste, Dean Hunt, DC Locke, and David Brinkman. Adriana and Sean joined us for the first time on the first cool day of summer's end. One measurement of the Granby dig is to look at the average number of artifacts after every 5 pits. This gives us an idea of how we are progressing. If the average starts dropping, then we may have seen the best of the dig and can start thinking about a stopping point. So far, that average has continued to rise through the last check point at 65 pits. We try to breakaway from our known "hot area", at least, 1 pit per 5 pits. Today was the time to do this with pit 68. We pick a spot next to the driveway and fence. We had heavy rains over the last 24 hours so the digging would be easy but the sifting would be difficult. Level 1 was surprisingly good and comparable to what we have in the "hot area". The top find was probably our largest piece of stoneware found in the dig. It was an obvious piece of Fulham-type brown salt-glazed stoneware. We have found about 10 of these in other pits but this larger one is more primitive and not glazed on the inside. It may have been made in America. It is documented that this style of pottery was made in America starting around 1730. The English version was made between 1690 and 1775. This could be another artifact from Thomas Brown who was the first area trader arriving here between 1722 and 1730 and dying in 1747. Overall, pit 68 was looking really good after just 1 level.

Pit 68: Level 1 produced: 8 pieces of pottery, 22 pieces of glass, 5 nails, 2 small pieces of metal (not iron and one may be gold), 1 pipe bowl piece, and 3 Native American pieces.




Below are two close-up pictures of the non-iron metal artifacts found. One of these may be gold.