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

NEW CASTLE COURT HOUSE PLAZA
NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE
4.0 ARTIFACT ANALYSIS
The analysis of ceramics and glass from Feature 20 resulted in the identification of nine
additional vessels (Plate 21). The intent of this section is to provide a more detailed examination
of the ceramics contained within Feature 20, the backfilled cellar hole. Since the approximate
date of the infilling is circa 1674-1725, this examination will focus on the ceramics dating from
that time period. The small number of creamware, pearlware, and Chinese export fragments are
removed from the discussion (see Section 3.5.5).
The following vessels are sparingly represented within the assemblage; scant physical remnants
are typical of secondary deposits and only tentative remarks about possible form and function are
presented. The preliminary vessel analysis identified three possible milk pans (2 redware, 1
possible Donyatt), a possible Red Border ware skillet or saucepan, a Staffordshire hollowware, a
tin-glazed bowl, a tin-glazed charger, and two tin-glazed flatwares.
Vessel 1, the first of two redware milk pans, has a measured 9 in. base and a 16 in. rim diameter.
The second example (Vessel 2) measured a slightly narrower 15 in. rim diameter (with an
indeterminately sized base). The paste of both vessels is described as coarse with large ochre
inclusions; a clear lead glaze coats the interior. Vessel 1 is best represented in terms of quantity,
with a dozen fragments extending from its base to the rim (contexts 43, 48, and 148), while only
three sherds (2 rims from context 44 and 1 base from context 148) were documented for the later
example. The third vessel represents a possible Donyatt or South Somerset milk pan (Kiser 2001;
Pope 1986:103-105). Within its red-orange fabric, large ochre inclusions were, again, identified.
The overall size of this vessel is unknown, although an approximate 9 in. base diameter (derived
from a single basal sherd from context 48) was tentatively calculated.
Vessel 4 represents a possible Red Border ware (Pearce 1992) skillet or saucepan, based on a
flanged rim sherd from context 43. The interior of this vessel contains a green lead glaze, while a
black oxide residue was still evident on the exterior.
The fifth identified vessel is represented by a single Staffordshire body sherd recovered from
context 147. The interior of this hollowware vessel is lead glazed, with a slip applied to both the
interior and exterior sides.
Vessel 6 likely denotes a tin-glazed sweetmeat or high-sided squared bowl. Unfortunately, the
single tin-glazed rim sherd recovered from context 51 is too small to provide an aperture
measurement. Vessel 7 corresponds to a single recovered tin-glazed earthenware rim sherd from
context 43. This vessel is currently interpreted as a possible charger with an 11 in. rim diameter.
A blue hand-painted representational decoration adorns the exterior of this otherwise blue-glazed
sherd. The two remaining vessels are probable tin-glazed flatwares (Vessels 8 and 9). The first
example, identified by a body sherd recovered from context 43, has a tin-glazed interior adorned
by a blue hand-painted decoration and a clear glazed exterior. The final vessel is represented by a
base sherd recovered from context 48. This specimen showing very little use wear, is glazed on
both sides, and is distinguished by three parallel blue lines hand-painted on the interior (Nöel
Hume 1977).
4.3 CERAMIC VESSEL ANALYSIS FROM FEATURES 23 AND 37
The ceramics derived from two erosion features (23 and 37) identified on the eastern portion of
the plaza were also chosen for analysis based on their relatively early calculated assemblage date
ranges. In total, 18 ceramic vessels were identified from both features. The results of this analysis
are presented below.
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