Hi folks!
Sorry it has been so long since we last posted an update--the snow kept us out of the office for a few days and we have been concentrating on completing other projects.
As for last week's mystery artifact it was indeed a stopper--so credit goes to both Victoria and Valerie! It is unlikely that is is a decanter or wine stopper, however, as it is too small in diameter. It is more likely that this was used for some sort of small vial--perhaps one holding perfume?
We are not posting an artifact this week, and instead wanted to give you folks an update on our progress (or lack thereof) in Port Tobacco. Currently, we are deciphering provenience cards and profiles from the excavations done by April and her students in order to finish writing up the technical report for the Preserve America grant. I wish I had some new updates on the material, but April did a fine job of posting many of the interesting finds while we were still out in the field. Also, let's face it, technical reports are necessary and crucial for documenting our work, but they are not terribly exciting. So, while I could put up some pivot tables of historic ceramics and plowzone measurements I will be kind enough to spare you all from the numbers.
Aside from this report there is little work to be done on Port Tobacco at the moment. As such, we are winding down our work there and will be posting infrequently. We hope to return in the spring to finally excavate down to the bottom of the trash deposits in the Swann house foundation and look into investigating another Union encampment, but these tasks are still in the planning process and I cannot make any promises regarding when we will be back in the field or how long we will be there for. Check back occasionally for postings, but the crew here will be directing our energies towards other projects. Thanks so much to everyone for your support with the Port Tobacco Archaeological Project over the past year! We really could not have accomplished so much without our lovely volunteers.
Over and out!
Kelley
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