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

4.3.1 FEATURE 23 CERAMICS
NEW CASTLE COURT HOUSE PLAZA
NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE
4.0 ARTIFACT ANALYSIS
The analysis of the Feature 23 ceramics identified a minimum of 14 vessels. Due to the
fragmentary nature of the artifact assemblage, most of the vessels are based on only a single
ceramic sherd. Vessel 1 represents a North Devon gravel-tempered utilitarian ware (Pope
1986:99-103; Faulkner and Faulkner 1987:203-204) such as a kitchen hollowware; vessel
identification was based on a body sherd from context 18. Vessel 2 was identified by a small
diameter base sherd (from context 18) and may represent a Midlands Yellow drinking vessel or
jug (Greaves 1976). An approximate 2.5 in. diameter base was calculated. A third vessel is
represented by a buff-bodied earthenware body sherd recovered from context 18. This sherd
contained a manganese mottled glaze on both the interior and exterior sides. Vessel form and
function are indeterminate. Vessel 4 corresponds to a coarse redware hollowware base sherd
(context 18) with a manganese mottled interior glaze. Overall vessel form is unclear, but the
footed base suggests a possible beverage or a lesser tableware, rather than that of kitchen
preparation. Vessel 5 denotes a redware vessel with a clear ginger-colored exterior glaze. This
hollowware vessel was identified by two body sherds from context 18 (these appear identical to
Vessel 1 in the following Feature 37 discussion). The sixth vessel represents a refined, black
glazed, redware tentatively identified as Wrotham (Grigsby 1993:22-27). Vessel identification
was made from nine base and body sherds recovered from contexts 18 and 19. A slip trailed and
dot decoration adorns the exterior and a base diameter of 3 in. was measured. Likely vessel forms
include a small pitcher, mug, or posset pot. Vessel 7 denotes a possible refined black-glazed
redware vessel identified by a handle base fragment (context 18). Little can be said about the
form or function of this vessel, except that is represents an indeterminate hollowware. A
Staffordshire vessel with a slip-combed exterior, lead-glazed interior body sherd from context 19
designates Vessel 8. This sherd likely indicates a hollowware, although overall form or function
remains unknown (Grigsby 1993:38-63).
Vessel 9 is represented by a tin-glazed earthenware body sherd (context 18) with a blue handpainted
exterior decoration on top of a white background. The body sherd is rather thin
suggesting a non-utilitarian hollowware form, such as a tea or tableware. A second tin-glazed
vessel was also present within the Feature 23 assemblage (Vessel 10). This vessel, represented by
a plain, pink-tinted body sherd (context 18), is of unknown vessel form. Three of the remaining
four vessels were derived from small Westerwald stoneware fragments recovered from context
19. Few definitive comments can be made, except that each fragment appears to represent a
unique hollowware vessel with exterior decorations ranging from incised/blue painted (Vessel
11), molded/blue painted (Vessel 12), to finely molded/blue and purple painted (Vessel 13). It is
possible that Vessels 11 or 12 could relate to the Westerwald drinking mug identified in Feature
20 assemblage (discussed above). The final vessel (14) is a blue hand painted Chinese export
porcelain body sherd recovered from context 19 likely representing a flatware vessel of
indeterminate size.
4.3.2 FEATURE 37 CERAMICS
A total of four ceramic vessels were identified during the ceramic analysis of Feature 37, a north
to south orientated erosional feature extending southward from Feature 20. Vessel 1, represented
by a single redware body sherd (context 154), is similar to Vessel 5 within the Feature 37 ceramic
discussion. Little can be said about this hollowware fragment, save that its exterior has a clear
ginger-colored glaze exterior treatment. Vessel 2, denoted by a single plain pearlware body
(recovered from context 63), likely represents an indeterminate hollowware vessel. The third
vessel designates an undecorated white salt-glazed stoneware hollowware body fragment
recovered from context 154. The final vessel relates to a single fragment of Chinese export
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