Finding stuff

[bach2yoga]

I thought some of you might find this interesting. Sometimes some of us come across cool stuff in the pines and sometimes will take them home with us, figuring that if we don't someone else will. (ok, I won't even get into that logic)
Unfortunately, this destroys the architectural integrity of the site...which may never be excavated anyway....so what to do?
We had found a canon ball from Cumberland furnace last year. Alan Mounier came over and we measured it, computed its specific gravity, etc. I talked with him yesterday about what to do with this, as I didn't want to give it to someone only to have it chucked in a box, yet I also wanted it be available for historical and/or archaeological use.
What he suggested is to write up a short paragraph about the item with photos and to submit it to the Bulletin of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey so that there would be record of the item with photos in the event that anyone is ever looking for information.
Renee

 

[Piney1125]

The ball

Are you going to keep the ball? Can't you take it to a local historical society?

 

[bach2yoga]

That's a tough call. Our local historical society has a basement full of boxes of things that have never been displayed or cataloged, and have no idea what half of the things in those boxes are even from anymore, which makes them of very little value from an archeaological/historical standpoint if no one can find it, or knows where it came from or anything else. And on top of that, they have sold donations that have been made, some of them worth a lot of money. And not that they don't have a right to do that if it is donated, but if I donate something, I want it there for our locallers to see.
All of the information and photographs were made available to the state archeaologists, it was posted to the ASNJ list, and Alan, who is an archeaologist, has recommended that it be written so that if the information or the ball ever needs to be accessed, then there will be documentation as to where to find it.
There is a bit more to this story, because of the pilfering, and filling in of the furnace, and now some very preliminary site work that will hopefully eventually amount to a professional excavation (I hope).
The Nature Conservancy is hoping to eventually put an interpretive trail through the nearby area, and if they compile a display, then I would certainly consider contributing it; likewise, if we are able to have the area professionally excavated and there is a display, it would be definitely be welcome there. I have found other surface items nearby this property, on TNC land, and did give those to TNC. This was not found on TNC property however. ITMT, it is available for examination if requested.
I just mentioned the idea of writing a paragraph because I know others have mentioned to me that they weren't sure what to do with things they have found.
Renee