Cataloging Iron Objects at Montpelier
•
1 like•1,031 views
This slide deck was designed to accompany the Montpelier Archaeology Department's Crowdsourcing project at MicroPasts, which was designed to encourage the public to help data enter catalog sheets. It primarily focuses on nails, and how they inform the landscape changes at James Madison's home in Virginia.
More Related Content
Similar to Cataloging Iron Objects at Montpelier
Similar to Cataloging Iron Objects at Montpelier (11)
More from Terry Brock
More from Terry Brock (6)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Cataloging Iron Objects at Montpelier
- 1. Cataloging Iron Objects at Montpelier The Montpelier Foundation
- 2. Every object Montpelier excavates is identified with a “NCAT Code”. This Code corresponds to a specific object type.
- 3. For Iron objects, there are nearly 100 separate codes, all corresponding to different kinds of iron objects. This slideshow will present some of the most common types!
- 4. Ivor Noel Hume developed a nail classification that we have adopted at Montpelier. The manufacture technique of nails has changed throughout time…making nails incredibly useful for archaeologists. The majority of our iron objects are nails. Nails at Montpelier
- 5. Wrought Nails Wrought Nails were hand made nails that were used during the 18th century and early 19th century. There are three primary manufacture types that we see at Montpelier.
- 6. Wrought Nails Rose Head NCAT: 388-390 T-Head or Downturned NCAT: 393-394 These nail types are of an earlier period, and are entirely hand- made. These nails can have a point, or flattened spatula tip.
- 7. Wrought Nails Wrought nails were hand-made, using long strips of iron and a specific technique illustrated here.
- 8. Machine Cut Nails Machine Cut nails were developed in the early 19th century, and went through a number of stylistic changes until the 1880s, when they were replaced by the modern wire nail.
- 9. Machine Cut Nails 3. Machine Cut w L-Head, Spatulate tip NCAT: 396 4. Machine Cut w L-Head Pointed tip NCAT: 397 5. Machine Cut w no head NCAT: 398
- 10. Machine Cut Nails 7. Machine Cut w Hand Wrought Head NCAT: 407 8. Machine Cut w side-pinched head NCAT: 930 9. Machine Cut Face Pinched NCAT: 931
- 11. Machine Cut Nails Machine Cut nails are made by cutting a sheet of iron fed into a reciprocating blade, heads were added later in the process.
- 12. At Montpelier, the dates that these nails were used also correspond to dramatic changes in the architecture of the Madison’s home and landscape. This makes nails incredibly useful for archaeologists at Montpelier. Nails and Telling Time at Montpelier
- 13. 1765-1797: Colonial Landscape Hand wrought nails were exclusively used in the first iteration of the Montpelier mansion at Montpelier, built in 1765. Therefore, Rose and T Head nails are representative of these sites.
- 14. 1797-1808 Landscape Modifications to the home in 1797 correspond to a change in nail manufacture, represented by Machine Cut L-Head or Wrought Head nails.
- 15. 1808-1840s: Retirement Landscape The Retirement Landscape, from when the Madison’s return from Washington DC, is represented by Machine Cut Side-Pinched Nails, while the period following the Madison’s ownership of the property, post 1840s, is marked by the Machine Cut Face-Pinched nail.
- 16. Iron Fork NCAT: 218 Hinge NCAT: 381 Other Iron Objects
- 17. Iron Key NCAT: 326 Padlock NCAT: 726 Chain Link NCAT: 363-364
- 19. Door Lock NCAT: 915 Pintel NCAT: 910-912 Furniture Tack NCAT: 227