Chamber Pots’ Function: Utilitarian, Aesthetic or Status?

Summary

This is a poster submission presented at the 2021 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

This study seeks to understand the full extent of a chamber pot's function, focusing on seven households in Albany, New York, from the late 18th to early 19th centuries. My preliminary study suggests that the composition of the household, including total number of individuals, gender, the presence of enslaved people, and class, helps to explain the stylistic variability in and between the assemblages. The presence of larger stoneware chamber pots possibly signifies the presence of enslaved people or domestic servants. Assemblages high in red or creamware chamber pots could indicate stylistic preferences and represent the household’s status. The appearance of ornate chamber pots in the record might signify wealth or aesthetic preference. In further study, sites from earlier and later occupations will be examined along with sites in different regions of New York to determine if this is a geographic anomaly or a statewide phenomenon.  

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• 2021 SHA Poster Submissions   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2021

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology