Question

III.) Dating sites and artifacts can be tricky. Archaeologists have to look at a lot of

evidence before making conclusions about a site and its artifacts. They cannot always
determine a definite date, so they will use the word circa. Circa means around or
approximately. So if a site is said to be from circa 1750, it means that it dates from
approximately 1750. Try to answer the questions below based the evidence provided.)

Bottles A & B were recovered from a privy (outdoor toilet) located on a
farmstead site.

Animal bones, broken ceramics, and other items were also found in the
privy.

Bottle A has no seams.

The other recovered artifacts from the privy indicate a date of circa 1918.

The first bottle-making machine was patented in 1903. By 1910 most bottles
were made in these machines.

Based on research and interviews the archaeological team knows that the
site was occupied by the Richardson family between 1890-1935 and then
abandoned.

Bottle B has seams indicating it was made by a bottling machine.

11.) What do the contents of the privy tell you about it?

12.) When was the Bottle A made? (Hint: Use the terminology of relative dating)

13.) When was Bottle B made?

14.) Why could Bottle A have been found in a privy dating from circa 1918?

Answer 1

11. That the privy was used in the late 1800's - early 1900's

12. Circa 1890's

13. Circa 1918

14. Because the family could have used the privy prior to 1918. The family owned the land from 1890 - 1935, so it would be possible for objects from the 1890's to the 1930's to be present in the privy.