Old Mobile (1MB94) Structure 14, Mobile County, Alabama.

Summary

Structure 14 at the Old Mobile site (1MB94) was first noticed as an earthen floor partially preserved in the unplowed center of the townsite, in an area that is intermittently flooded by heavy rains. Excavation of this structure has consequently been limited to dry spells in 1992, 1995 and 1998-2003. The long axis of the building was oriented northwest-southeast, aligned with the street grid of the town, as depicted on the two historic maps of Old Mobile. Most of the south half of the structure has been excavated, as well as a large adjacent area to the south. This building burned upon abandonment and charred portions of a collapsed poteaux-en-terre wall were visible during excavation. Among the many remarkable finds made at Structure 14 are a nearly complete underglaze blue Chinese porcelain plate and a cast iron barshot used in naval cannon to destroy ship's rigging. The barshot was found next to a door and may have been used as a door stop. The surrounding yard around Structure 14 had clearly defined activity areas. Most of the Indian-made pottery was recovered from immediately west of the structure, while imported wares from Europe, China, and Spanish colonies came from east and south of the preserved floor. A large concentration of broken glass bottles, particularly case bottles, was found southeast of the building. The unusual nature of the artifact assemblage, which contains a diverse array of serving vessels, suggests at least partial use of this building as a tavern or inn.

Cite this Record

Old Mobile (1MB94) Structure 14, Mobile County, Alabama.. ( tDAR id: 380950) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8SX6FM1

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

URL: http://www.usouthal.edu/archaeology/old-mobile.html


Keywords

Culture
Euroamerican • French Colonial • French Colonial Period • Historic • Historic Native American

Material
Building Materials • Ceramic • Chipped Stone • Fauna • Glass • Macrobotanical • Metal

Site Name
1MB94 • Old Mobile • Structure 14

Site Type
Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex • Hamlet / Village • Historic Structure • House • Non-Domestic Structures • Tavern

Investigation Types
Data Recovery / Excavation • Heritage Management • Historic Background Research • Reconnaissance / Survey • Remote Sensing • Research Design / Data Recovery Plan • Site Evaluation / Testing • Site Stewardship Monitoring

General
Fort Louis • Old Mobile

Geographic Keywords
Mobile River • MOBILE RIVER DRAINAGE

Temporal Keywords
Colonial Period • Historical Period • Historical Sites and Artifacts

Temporal Coverage

Calendar Date: 1702 to 1711

Spatial Coverage

min long: -88.026; min lat: 30.942 ; max long: -87.971; max lat: 30.983 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Gregory Waselkov; University of South Alabama Center for Archaeological Studies

Record Identifiers

2004.077(s): Accession Number

Source Collections

University of South Alabama Center for Archaeological Studies Old Mobile Collection 2004.077

University of South Alabama Archaeology Museum Old Mobile Collection 2004.077

Related Comparative Collections

University of South Alabama Center for Archaeological Studies Port Dauphin Village Collection 1997.005

Resources Inside this Project (Viewing 1-3 of 3)

Images

  1. Artifact Photos from Structure 14, Old Mobile (1MB94), Mobile County, Alabama. (2003)
  2. Excavation Photos from Structure 14, Old Mobile (1MB94), Mobile County, Alabama. (1992)

Datasets

  1. Field Specimen Catalog for Structure 14, Old Mobile (1MB94), Mobile County, Alabama. (2003)