Report of the Archaeological Investigations of the New Castle Court ...

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NEW CASTLE COURT HOUSE PLAZA NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE 3.0 FIELD RESULTS 3.0 FIELD RESULTS Archeology of the Court House plaza was begun on July 28, 2003, and concluded on October 13, 2003. During this intervening period, JMA excavated a total of 26 full and partial excavation units on the western and eastern plaza sections, sampled 34 features, and relocated and documented the location of an additional 55 features across the entire plaza area (Figures 5 and 6). Organization of the following section will be sub-divided into two main categories. The initial portion will analyze the stratigraphic construction sequence of the western and eastern sections of the circa 1820 plaza and the 1845 plaza extension. The stratigraphy within the individual excavation units will not be discussed, but rather the corresponding stratigraphic units (SUs) or layers within each plaza section will be analyzed. General artifact class types of each stratigraphic unit will also be presented. The second section will discuss the features identified during the fieldwork. These features will be synthesized and where possible, dates assigned and contemporaneous features will be grouped in lieu of dates, based on similarities of matrix, shape, location within the stratigraphic profile, etc. The mean artifact date formula (South 1977) was used to provide a weighted average of the manufacture dates for the recovered artifacts within the plaza fill deposits and the sampled features. The mean date was also calculated for the initial and final manufacture date, thus providing the occupational date range fore each identified layer. The method for dating the occupation date range was utilized based on applying one degree of standard deviation to each dated artifact class as discussed by Mrozowski (1984). The terminous post quem (TPQ) for the artifact assemblage was also established. TPQ dates are defined as the beginning date of the latest manufactured item, which provides the earliest possible depositional date for each stratigraphic unit. The artifact assemblage within each stratigraphic unit or layer was quite fragmentary and is indicative of a secondary deposit. Due to the nature of the deposit, the majority of the assemblage is comprised of small fragments and the derived dates are based, in some instances, on single artifacts. Dates calculated from very small assemblages will be indicated when they occur and these dates should be thought of as general rather than absolute. The artifact inventory for the New Castle Court House plaza excavations (7NC-E-105A) is contained in Appendix I. 3.1 CIRCA 1820 EAST PLAZA STRATIGRAPHIC UNITS The stratigraphic sequence within the eastern section of circa 1820 plaza was comprised of four primary fill layers overlying intact subsoil (Table 1; Figures 7 and 8). Cleanup of organic accumulation between the brick plaza surface occurred in all of the units. This stratigraphic unit, not considered to be part of the foundation material, consisted of black (10YR 2/1), very dark gray (10YR 3/1), to very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loamy sand to loam. Once this layer of accumulated organics had been removed, the primary foundation material, located at the base of the brick-paving surface was revealed. This layer consisted of pale brown (10YR 6/3), yellowish brown (10YR 5/4), light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4), and brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) medium to coarse sand containing less than 40 percent pea gravel. The outlines of the brick pavers were often visible at this surface and these ‘brick images’ are the result of organic leaching between the brick plaza surface into the underlying foundation sand. Thickness was fairly uniform with a depth range of 0.5 to 0.7 ft. across the eastern plaza section. The second principal fill layer was not uniformly present across the east plaza and was absent from the profiles in EUs 1 through 3, corresponding to the extreme northwest and west portions of this plaza section. This fill deposit 18
A A’ EU2 EU6 EU7 EU8 EU9 EU10 EU11 EU12 1995 DSM excavation Mortar SU B Rock Capstone SU D SU C SU G SU E Coral SU G Brick F.21 Stones Coral Split spoon Stones F.20 sample Stone Wall Sidewalk Figure 7. East plaza stratigraphy; east to west profile (EUs 6 through 12). 0 4ft 0 1m SU B 10YR 6/3 pale brown, 10YR 5/4 yellowish brown, 10YR 6/4 light yellowish brown, and 10YR 6/6 brownish yellow medium to coarse sand with less than 40% pea gravel SU C 10YR 4/4 dark yellowish brown, 10YR 5/3 brown, and 10YR 5/4 yellowish brown silt loam to silt clay loam mottled with 10YR 4/3 brown, 10YR 5/6 yellowish brown, and 10YR 6/6 brownish yellow silt loam with brick and mortar inclusions SU D 10YR 4/3-5/3 brown, 10YR 4/4-4/6 dark yellowish brown, 10YR 5/4 yellowish brown, and 10YR 6/4 light yellowish brown sand to loamy sand with less than 40% pea gravel SU E 10YR 4/2 dark grayish brown to 7.5YR 4/3-10YR 4/3 brown loamy sand to silt loam with brick and mortar inclusions SU G 10YR 5/4 yellowish brown silt loam to silt; B-horizon F.20 Layered 10YR 5/3 brown heavy silt loam with 10YR 5/4 yellowish brown and 10YR 5/2 grayish brown silt loam containing yellow wood, brick, coral, and stone fragments; possible cellar hole F.21 Mortared field stone, exterior faced only; ca. 1820 plaza wall SU C--unexcavated Elevation (feet) 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4
Page 1 and 2: Report of the Archeological Investi
Page 3 and 4: NEW CASTLE COURT HOUSE PLAZA NEW CA
Page 5 and 6: Abstract Acknowledgements List of T
Page 11 and 12: 1.1 BACKGROUND NEW CASTLE COURT HOU
Page 13 and 14: 0 150ft 0 30m Project Location Figu
Page 15 and 16: Figure 3. Detail, Latrobe’s eleva
Page 17 and 18: 1.4.1 1950’S RESTORATION OF THE C
Page 23 and 24: Plate 2. Plan view mapping of EU 21
Page 25 and 26: EU6 MATCH TO FIGURE Fa Post hole Ce
Page 27: NEW CASTLE COURT HOUSE PLAZA NEW CA
Page 35 and 36: Elevation (feet) 2 1 0 -1 -2 C’ E
Page 49 and 50: 3.5.4 BURNT AREA ADJACENT TO THE 18
Page 51 and 52: Plate 8. Opening plan view of Level
Page 57 and 58: Plate 13. Western view from the mai
Page 59 and 60: Plate 14. Plan view documenting the
Page 63 and 64: Plate 16. Plan view showing the por
Page 65 and 66: Plate 17. Opening plan view of Leve
Page 69 and 70: 4.1.2 FAUNAL REMAINS FROM FEATURE 2
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4.4.2 CORAL NEW CASTLE COURT HOUSE
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NEW CASTLE COURT HOUSE PLAZA NEW CA
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0 1cm Figure 11. Gold sleevelinks r
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Plate 25. Plaza erosion adjacent to
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ARTIFACT INVENTORY NEWCASTLE COURTH
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Wade Catts , RPA Associate/Senior P
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APPENDIX III: RESEARCH DATA FROM DE
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APPENDIX IV: CHRONOLOGY BLOCKHOUSES
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“That his honour would please to
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(who is in pay and is kept for to l
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WADE P. CATTS Associate Principal A
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2000 Conducted historical research
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1986 Soil Chemistry and Historic Ar
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2004-2005 Field Supervisor. Phase I
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