Page 97 - Maryland Historical Trust - Archaeology Colonial MD

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Portuguese “Lloyd Plate” from 18AN818.
only Providence site whose original owner cannot be accurately determined. The occupation at the site appears to have ended prior to the advent of 1660s historical records. It is, therefore, named for the Broadneck Peninsula on which it is located (in contrast to the two “pointed” necks to either side). Today, the term “Broadneck” is applied to a much larger area between the Chesapeake Bay and the Severn River. Not only was the Broadneck Site the first Providence occupation to be located, it also can be assigned a number of other superlatives in that it represents the earliest site and that occupied for the shortest amount of time. It also represents a more transient and expedient form of architecture than the post-in-ground structures seen at later Providence sites.
The orientation of two earthen cellars, one six by six feet and one six by five feet provide the primary evidence for the building, which must have measured approximately 36 ft by 16 ft. Lack-
ing earthfast posts, the structure appears to have been constructed with its sill sitting directly on the ground (See Chapter 1 Sidebar). No clear indi- cations of sill supports were identified, but some minor feature stains may well be associated with such details.
The architectural evidence also included rela- tively few nails, no window glass or leaded window cames, and no tiles or brick — all distinct from oth- er Providence sites. Only burned daub was present in abundance. Given the early nature of the arti- facts recovered during the excavations, this rather ephemeral building may have only been considered a temporary residence built quickly when the Pu- ritans first arrived. Based on the artifacts recovered, it seems to have burned sometime before 1660.
The cellar excavations revealed a number of interesting artifacts including an axe head, a large iron pestle, a single case bottle, and a large quantity of terra cotta pipe fragments. The most interesting
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