Rhenish Stoneware: Bellarmine Bottle (Archaeological Find)

Files

IMG_5066.jpg
Bellarmine Bottle from Towne Neck. It is hypothesized that the sherd we excavated came from a Bellarmine bottle such as this.
This 17th century dining hall menu shows very European food choices such as brisket, pudding, bread and beer.
A page from the Butler's handbook where he documented food and drink that was served in the dining hall

Title:

Rhenish Stoneware: Bellarmine Bottle

Description:

Background: The website, Diagnostic Artifacts of Maryland, allows us to conclude that the artifact that we excavated is a German brown salt glaze stoneware with iron oxide slip from the 17th century (Image 1). This is most likely from the neck of a bellarmine bottle because it has the shape of a bellarmine bottleneck (Artifacts of Colonial Maryland). Bellarmine bottles were used primarily for storage, service and consumption, and sanitary purposes. Rhenish stoneware has a direct connection to colonialism because medallions of different king of England, such as King George, were often imprinted on the bellarmine bottle’s body (Image 2).

Journal entry: I began my day at breakfast where I consumed milk that was stored in a bellarmine bottle, along with a few biscuits. Most of our food and drink here at Harvard has a European influence, for example we often eat scones and biscuits (Image 3). While people left Europe to escape some traditional European values such as the protestant religion, there is still a heavy colonial influence here in America. In fact, my professors will often travel to Europe to present their work. One of my professors, John Winthrop, presented his scientific and astronomical work to the Royal Society and to the larger scientific community of England. From seals on our bellarmine bottle that are stamped with names of English Kings, to our academics, it is clear that many facets of our life here at Harvard are heavily influenced by Europe and that we maintain colonial ties to Europe.

Source:

https://www.jefpat.org/diagnostic/ColonialCeramics/ColonialWare-thumbnails/rhenish_stoneware_images.htm#armorial-heraldicmedallion

http://hul.harvard.edu/lib/archives/h1718/pages/history.html

Object Name:

Rhenish Stoneware: Bellarmine Bottle

Inventory Description:

stoneware body sherd

Peabody Number:

2016.29.719

Culture/Period:

19th century

Intrasite:

H938

Depth:

Level 2 (62-71)

Class 1:

ceramic

Class 2:

body

Class 3:

sherd

Quantity:

1

Height (cm):

3

Width (cm):

2

Depth/Thickness (cm):

0.7

Collection:

2017 Assignment 3