Engine-Turned Dipped Earthenware (Archaeological Find)
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Title:
Engine-Turned Dipped Earthenware
Subject:
The following engine-turned dipped earthenware was found in Level #1 of Unit H984, which is 0-20 cm below the surface. Originally pioneered by Josiah Wedgwood in the 1760s, engine turning lathes allowed potters to decorate the surface of ceramic vessels with geometric patterns (Rickard and Carpentier, 2004). Our artifact from Harvard Yard displays two prominent dark brown horizontal bands of slip that are excellently complemented by three thinner green horizontal bands on the top. Such a design was in peak production from 1790 to 1830, representative of an eating or drinking vessel that a student at Harvard would have used during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries (Fitts et al., 2012). Importantly, these tableware pieces catered towards middle-class families who could not afford to import expensive porcelain to Massachusetts (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). In the same layer that we found the sherd, we also uncovered artifacts ranging from a 2001 Quarter all the way back to a Pipe Stem Fragment with a 6/64” Bore Diameter that dates from 1680 to 1720. The combination of both modern and historical artifacts, including our engine-turned dipped earthenware, signifies that a prior event disturbed the first layer of our unit. What’s more, the surrounding dirt was very fine and easy to excavate, indicative of mixed fill that a landscaping team would use to beautify Harvard Yard in preparation for events like Convocation and Commencement — unintentionally churning and redepositing artifacts from one layer to another. For that reason, like many neighboring units, our first layer came as a mixed bag of artifacts from multiple centuries.
Source:
Rickard, Jonathan, and Donald Carpentier. “The Little Engine That Could: Adaptation of the Engine-Turning Lathe in the Pottery Industry.” Ceramics in America (2004). https://chipstone.org/article.php/151/Ceramics-in-America-2004/The-Little-Engine-That-Could:-Adaptation-of-the-Engine-Turning-Lathe-in-the-Pottery-Industry
Fitts, Mary Elizabeth, Ashley Peles, and R.P. Stephen Davis. “Archaeological Investigations at the Vance Site on the University of North Carolina Campus, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.” The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2012): 1–107. https://www.rla.unc.edu/Publications/pdf/ResRep34.pdf
“Barrel Shaped Jug.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/762253
Contributor:
Skye Lam
Object Name:
Engine-Turned Dipped Earthenware
Inventory Description:
The sherd likely was part of an eating or drinking vessel.
Peabody Number:
2023.11.115
Culture/Period:
1790 to 1830
Intrasite:
H984 Level #1
Depth:
0-20 cm
Class 1:
Ceramic
Class 2:
Earthenware
Class 3:
Sherd
Quantity:
1
Height (cm):
1.4
Width (cm):
0.9
Depth/Thickness (cm):
0.2
Century:
Late 18th Century to Early 19th Century