Artifacts
The combined artifact assemblage analyzed from Sites 44PY178 and 44PY181 consists of more than 5,000 items and is quite diverse. It includes kitchen, clothing, personal, and architectural objects. Most of the assemblage dates to the third and fourth decades of the twentieth century. The assemblage consists of mass-produced goods, including items of local, regional, national, and international manufacture. The range of objects details mill life in Danville during the early decades of the twentieth century. As a group, the items suggest a middle-class standard of living, not an impoverished, bland existence often portrayed in historical accounts.
More details on the various artifact types from each site can be found by clicking on the links below. These are some of the categories archaeologists use routinely to group artifacts according to their function and interpret sites. Using these categories helps other archaeologists make useful comparisons with artifact assemblages from other sites. The mill families as consumers page provides detailed interpretation of the artifacts found on the sites.
