Washing the Latest Burch House Artifacts

CCAS volunteered to wash the artifacts obtained from the Burch House excavations done with the GWU students in October.  Washing artifacts is a time to see what was found and also to learn how to identify different types of artifacts.

Joshua, Elsie, Phil, Janice, Phil

 On Sunday November 14 CCAS and ASM members with the help of one other volunteer washed over half of the Burch House artifacts outside in front of the Port Tobacco Courthouse.  Luckily it was a nice day.

Those helping wash were Phil Angel, Carol Cowherd, Joshua Eller, Rich Gorski, Jane Keller, Steve Lohr, Elsie Picyk, Belinda Urquiza, and Janice Hawkins, a journalism student.

Brogan, Elsie, Rich, Barbara

On Sunday November 21 Phil, Carol, Rich, Elsie, and Janice returned to help wash the remaining artifacts.  They were joined by Barbara Kane and her grandson Brogan.  It turned out to be another nice day.

This was CCAS' first time to organize a lab for washing artifacts.  Several CCAS members provided the equipment needed -- wash pans, strainers, tooth brushes, paper clips, and cardboard flats. 


Below are some of the artifacts washed the second Sunday.  You should be able to find old coins, bone buttons, a jaw, a military button, a door knob, and pieces of a plate that mend.  The leaves are recent.  What else do you see?

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