Artifacts by Type

There is no one standard artifact found in the Harvard Yard. Glass, ceramics, bone, shells, metal, and more have all stood the test of time in the Harvard yard. Each material shares a different perspective on the daily lives of workers, students, visitors, and faculty on Harvard's campus. By exploring the artifacts by type, you can delve into specific materials suited to your interests!

Here are a few of the material types we have in our collection: 

Ceramic: The most abundant material found in the yard, ceramics found their way into student life through plates, pipe stems, mugs, decorative vessels, and more. 

Glass: A variety of glass types appear on Harvard's campus. From hand blown bottles, to window glass, to machine manufactured items, the glass in the yard greatly helps in dating other materials.

Metal: Metal can take many forms: keys, type-writer print, and nails just represent a few of the metal artifacts found. 

Organic Materials (bone, wood, etc.): Organic materials encompass a broad category of artifacts in the yard. Organic materials are key in establishing the colonial diet (bones, shells, etc.). 

Brick: Brick had two main functions on Harvard's campus: as roof-tiles, and as an architectural foundation. The bricks shed useful insight into where buildings were located in the yard.