Interpreting the Sherds: Ceramic Consumption Practices in a Nineteenth Century Detroit Riverfront Neighborhood.

Susan Villerot; Samantha Malette; Don Adzigian

Interpreting the Sherds: Ceramic Consumption Practices in a Nineteenth Century Detroit Riverfront Neighborhood.

Author(s): Susan Villerot; Samantha Malette; Don Adzigian

Year: 2016

Summary

Following the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, Detroit became an emerging urban and industrial center. During the early-mid 19th century, private homes, hotels, manufacturers, and grocery stores densely populated the neighborhood along the Detroit River. Over 19,000 artifacts from this waterfront neighborhood were recovered in 1973-74, during the construction of the Renaissance Center, within a 9-city block area. The Renaissance Center Collection ceramics tell a rich story of various social classes and ethnicities living in close proximity during Detroit’s transformation into a metropolis. This poster presents a comparative analysis of ceramic assemblages from 5 features within a portion of this neighborhood. A minimum number of vessel count aids in understanding the trends in ceramics use, comparing these with other consumption patterns and functions of place within the diverse neighborhood. The results allow a broader discussion of the scope and significance of the ceramics market in early urban Detroit.

Cite this Record

Interpreting the Sherds: Ceramic Consumption Practices in a Nineteenth Century Detroit Riverfront Neighborhood.. Susan Villerot, Samantha Malette, Don Adzigian. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Washington, D.C. 2016 ( tDAR id: 434852)