Rhenish stoneware handle (Archaeological Find)

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Rhenish stoneware handle
Rhenish stoneware handle
18th Century Rhenish Stoneware vessel showing handles shaped similar to the excavated sherd
18th Century Rhenish Stoneware vessel showing handles shaped similar to the excavated sherd
Harvard College College Commons Records

Title:

Rhenish stoneware handle

Subject:

This Rhenish stoneware handle sherd was found in Level 6 of Unit H980, and was likely part of a vessel used for everyday life. Rhenish stoneware originated in Rhineland, Germany, but was later produced in many different regions and became a widely traded import in England and its North American colonies. There are two main types of Rhenish stoneware: brown stoneware and blue-on-gray (Hume 1970). The piece found in H980, a light gray-bodied ceramic with cobalt coloring, belongs to the latter. This type of Rhenish stoneware dominated British imports in the late 17th and 18th centuries and continued to be shipped to the colonies in large quantities until the 1770s. More specifically, the shape of this sherd resembles the handles of eighteenth-century Rhenish stoneware vessels, which typically feature a V-shaped terminal, accurately reflecting the time period when the first Harvard Hall was in use. Other than its often elaborate decorations, Rhenish stoneware was valued for its durability and impermeability and was mostly used for storage, serving, drinking, and sanitation. In the early 1700s, Rhenish stoneware was commonly made into tankards, mugs, jugs, and chamber pots, so it is reasonable to infer that the handle found in H980 most likely came from a vessel used regularly for drinking (Diagnostic Artifacts in Maryland 2026). Its presence in Harvard Yard suggests that at least some students had access to imported goods that were relatively costly and fashionable. Because college regulations required students to dine communally in the Hall, meals were a central and public part of student life on campus (Harvard University 1765–1829). Therefore, the choice of personal tableware would have made differences in economic background and social status among students apparent.

Source:

N.d.Diagnostic Artifacts in Maryland. https://apps.jefpat.maryland.gov/diagnostic/, accessed February 27, 2026.
(This source offers detailed descriptions of the forms, decorative styles, and functional uses of Rhenish stoneware.)

Hume, Ivor Noël. 1970. A Guide to Artifacts of Colonial America. [1st ed.]. New York: Knopf. https://id.lib.harvard.edu/alma/990012245160203941/catalog.
(This source provides a foundational overview of Rhenish stoneware, explaining its origin, characteristics, and history in colonial America.)

College Commons Records. Harvard Commons Records, 1772–1820. UAI 15.250, Box 1. Harvard University Archives, Cambridge, MA. Accessed March 6, 2026. https://nrs.lib.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.arch:14107855.
(This source provides information about student dining practices, showing how meals were a structured and important part of campus life. )

Object Name:

Rhenish stoneware handle

Inventory Description:

Rhenish stoneware handle

Peabody Number:

2025.8.50

Intrasite:

H980 Level 6

Depth:

78-85 cmbd

Class 1:

Ceramic

Class 2:

Rhenish stoneware

Quantity:

1

Height (cm):

2.8

Width (cm):

2.1

Depth/Thickness (cm):

2.2