Urban Archaeology on Pierrepont Street
This is pretty awesome. Pardon Me for Asking has a cool post up on an archeological dig in the yard of a 1852 Pierrpont Street townhouse. While the home is under renovation urban archeologists Scott Jordan and Jack Fortmeyer are being allowed to explore the outhouse pit, where common household objects were thrown in to…
This is pretty awesome. Pardon Me for Asking has a cool post up on an archeological dig in the yard of a 1852 Pierrpont Street townhouse. While the home is under renovation urban archeologists Scott Jordan and Jack Fortmeyer are being allowed to explore the outhouse pit, where common household objects were thrown in to close the pits. This practice lasted until the 1860s, when Brooklyn got sewer infrastructure. After digging a hole 15 feet deep, they pulled up broken cups and plates, pickle jars, chamber pots, pieces of glass, bottles, a pair of legs from a doll, and some glass figurines. They also uncovered an old cistern. Have any readers had an urban dig in their backyard?
Photo via PMFA
“very safety conscious”
That’s good to know.
SteamMan and ENY (and MM) –
Don’t worry. Scottie is actually pictured standing inside the privy pit, which is a solid stone cylindrical chamber that goes down the full 10 to 15 feet (depends on the pit). It is not just dirt.
These privy pits were built like wells with sturdy fitted stone walls, except they held shit, instead of fresh water. So when Scottie and Jack dig down in search of bottles, they are excavating something that was built as strong as the foundation of the house itself.
They dug out my pit, as well as my neighbors’. I have joined them a few digs myself. It is, hands down, they coolest experience ever. You feel like Indiana Jones.
They are very cool guys, and very safety conscious.
He’s an archeologist- I’m sure he’s aware.
But MM, we also did find pieces of old Victorian tile from the main bathroom (so beautiful- those idiots tore it out for crap!), lots of old carpet and the real prize- an old blade lawnmower intact with the wheels. Whoo-hoo!
Ok, so I wasn’t thinking of the guy’s safety. I hope HE is. But I still think finding these things is cool.
Hal, I doubt it. Our neighborhood was built with indoor plumbing. That’s not to say you wouldn’t find bottles and odd stuff, but you wouldn’t find the remains of an old privy.
So, this guy is standing in a dried-up sh*thole that might collapse at any time (says SteamMan), looking for broken pottery and scrap?
I like history as much as the next guy, but this is not how I would define “cool.” But hey, whatever turns you on.
I have to agree with BHO.
While I love archaeology(growing up watching Raiders of the Lost Ark) this is just plain silly. Go ahead and do it but please go about it in a safe manner. Any excavation below a certain depth (generally 5.5′) must be shored to prevent collapse or stepped back. My firm does a lot of underground pipe work and I have seen trench walls give way. It is a very scary thing and most of the time the guy at the bottom of the pit doesn’t get to go home to his wife and kids. We have learned and been lucky none of our men have ever gotten hurt.
Trust me, by the looks of the photo if there’s a collapse, these guys won’t be going home that night… Oh and the homeowner will be getting $@&^ed too.
-SteamMan
MM: Thanks! I didn’t want to say it, but yes, sacrilege indeed!
“Besides marble sink surrounds and the old soapstone sink from the kitchen, there was an entire marble mantle; all of them broken into pieces. The oddest was a pile of stained glass fragments. It seemed when the stained glass windows were taken from the house they must have been smashed to salvage the lead.”
ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SACRILEGE!