Lot 12, Test Cut F, River Bottom Silt: Gray and Red Silty Sand and Reddish Gray Silty Sand (624.214)

(17th Century)

This context (Catalog #214: Lot 12, Test Cut F, Stratum 22, Level a) consists of artifacts found in both a gray and red silty sand and a reddish gray silty sand. These deposits are thought to be part of the original river bottom located in Test Cut F. This context is one of multiple river bottom deposits excavated from Test Cut F in the rear portion of Lot 12.

This deposit was preceded by a gray clayey silt, which likely marked the beginning of the river deposits in this test cut. The artifacts excavated from these strata likely penetrated into the sand from the overlying river bottom silt. The only substantial quantities of yellow brick in TC F originated in the gray clayey silt and underlying red silty sand deposits which represented the pre-landfilling river bottom. This pattern appears to characterize the base deposits in many of the test cuts that that were excavated to river bottom depths. There were no other notable differences between the artifacts recovered from the river bottom and the landfill deposits.

For more information about the deposits associated with Lot 12, please read pages 155 to 191 of the 7 Hanover Square site report.

  • Collection method

    Excavated this context using trowels. All soil was wet-screened using 1/4 inch mesh.

  • Soil description

    Grayish red sand, silty

  • Munsell

    Not recorded

7 Hanover Square

Manhattan, 7 Hanover Square

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