Too Many Post Holes: Analysis Of A Complex 17th-century Earthfast Structure On Middle Street In St. Mary’s City.

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Archaeological Research of the 17th Century Chesapeake" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The excavation of a newly discovered earthfast structure in St. Mary’s City involved the careful dissection of numerous overlapping post holes. The complexity of this structure was largely due to multiple replacement posts cutting through earlier posts. This 60 foot by 20 foot structure likely dates to the third quarter of the 17thcentury. The building stood until ca. 1720, when its brick lined cellar was filled in. To understand the architecture of this earthfast structure, the careful recordation and analysis of the numerous post hole and mold depths has been essential. Few historical records survive from this time, so the archaeological data is key to understanding the town’s layout during its transition from colonial capital to an agrarian landscape.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Archaeological Research of the 17th Century Chesapeake   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 596