Smithsonian Institution - United States National Museum - Bulletin 249: Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology; Papers 52-54 on ArcheologyWatkins, C. Malcolm
Philosophy
Smithsonian Institution - United States National Museum - Bulletin 249: Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology; Papers 52-54 on Archeology
Watkins, C. Malcolm
Archaeology; Excavations (Archaeology) -- Virginia -- Gloucester County; Excavations (Archaeology) -- Virginia -- James City County; Excavations (Archaeology) -- Virginia -- Yorktown; Gloucester County (Va.) -- Antiquities; James City County (Va.) -- Antiquities; Yorktown (Va.) -- Antiquities
The importance of the Jenkins site cellar hole lies solely in its
provision of a valuable group of closely dated artifacts. The
excavations failed to reveal either the size of the building or any
indication of its original ownership and purpose. The structure
does not appear on any known map nor can it be equated with any
specifications contained in the _Vestry Book_ of Petsworth Parish or
any other documentary source now available. Much local legend and
speculation has been considered and regretfully rejected in the absence
of any supporting evidence. The site does lie in the Second Precinct of
Petsworth Parish and it has been established that the Porteus family
did own land therein. Consequently it is quite possible that the
Jenkins site was once part of that tract. But it does not necessarily
follow that the cellar hole was part of the Edward Porteus family
residence.
A _terminus post quem_ of about 1700 for the filling of the cellar hole
has been well established on the archeological evidence. The structure
itself is represented by the large cellar hole which had been floored
and walled with boards and vertical posts, and by the massive chimney
at the east end. The absence of any abutting walling, coupled with our
inability to find any traces of other foundations, strongly suggests
that the building stood on piers or wooden blocks.
The artifacts include a number of extremely interesting objects; but
the curious juxtaposition of the large glass stem (figs. 10 and 11)
with crude earthenwares, worn-out tools and broken and reused clay
tobacco pipes makes it probable that the refuse was derived from
different sources. Whereas the iron objects resting on the cellar floor
may have been in the building when it was destroyed, it is clear that
the large oystershell deposit (and therefore, the glass stem that it
contained) must have been brought from elsewhere. It might therefore be
deduced that the excavated structure had been a kitchen building or,
perhaps, an overseer's house rather than the home of the owner of the
glass stem.
The dearth of 18th-century colonial artifacts on the Jenkins property
seems to indicate, at best, a less intensive occupation after the
destruction of the building that overlay the excavated cellar hole.
It seems improbable, therefore, that the existing "Ardudwy" was in
existence before the late 18th century.
Illustrations
The objects illustrated in figures 8 through 16 are representative
of the principal artifacts found in the Clay Bank excavations. The
dating given below refers to the objects' period of manufacture;
their terminal or throwaway date is determined by their archeological
contexts, which are indicated by area and stratum designations. (See p.
11, Archeological Stratigraphy, and fig. 3.)
FIGURE 8
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