Introduction: Lots 8, 9, and 15 are modern designations for adjacent parcels of land that were owned together and used as a single property until the early 1830's. Excavations produced important discoveries like that of the Colonial-era Lovelace Tavern, proving that significant archaeological resources could still exist in urban spaces. Project archaeologists were able to lobby for increased time and funds to continue their work on the strength of these finds, leading to additional discoveries. In all, the project provided considerable information about the history of New York City and its inhabitants from the 17th to the 20th centuries.
Rationale: Test Cut V was excavated during the initial phase of field work and was important in the development of the site's testing methodology. The test cut was located along the eastern wall of Lot 9 in the vicinity of the the Lovelace Tavern. No deposits associated with Lovelace were found. Instead, project archaeologists uncovered evidence of another early-eighteenth century building that post-dates the destruction of the Tavern in 1706.
Results: A layer of early-18th-century fill unassociated with the Lovelace Tavern was found across the test cut between 3.25- and 12-inches below excavation surface. It is not known what building event the fill resulted from. The majority of the artifacts in this layer date to the 18th century. All other stratigraphic layers save for the subsoil contained mixed artifacts with little diagnostic value.
Lot 9, Test Cut V, Strata V, Level A
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Collection method
Shovel, Trowel, Screen (1/4-inch mesh). Natural Level.
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Soil description
Brown Sandy Silt with Mica
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Munsell
5YR 5/3
