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Canadian Historic Sites: Occasional Papers in Archaeology and History No. 16
by K. J. Barton The Coarse EarthenwaresThe bulk of the coarse earthenware ceramics recovered from the Machault comprises three types: Type 1, green-glazed white-fabric ware (Figs. 1-9); Type 2, slip-decorated red-fabric ware (Figs. 10-16), and Type 3, undecorated, unglazed and partly glazed red-fabric ware (Figs. 17-21). The remainder are miscellaneous decorated and undecorated coarse earthenwares (Figs. 22-27). Type 1: Green-Glazed White-Fabric Ware The green-glazed white-fabric vessels are jugs, flagons, bowls, skillets, tripod cooking pots with lids, cream pans, storage jars and plates (Figs. 1-9). The fabric is cream buff or pale pink in colour with a smooth chalky texture. No deliberately introduced inclusions appear in the fabric, but very small ochrous pebbles occasionally occur. The vessels were poorly thrown and were cut from a stilled wheel with wire. The handles were press-moulded in a box. Each handle was fastened to the top of the rim and basally fastened to the outside of the body by pressing the handle out and smoothing it down. In all cases, the lead glaze is stained bright apple green with copper oxide. Minor impurities, possibly of iron, cause occasional staining in the glaze. Subsequent to manufacture, the glaze on many of the vessels was attacked and blackened (see Appendix A). The glaze is often markedly crackled. The vessels were dip glazed and intentionally glazed internally. The majority were not glazed on the base. The majority of the vessels were fired upside down, some on the side, and were stacked very closely together during firing, resulting in many "stick" marks. The above descriptions fit all vessels in Type 1 unless otherwise stated. 1. Jugs The jugs (Figs. 1, 2) have globular bodies and pulled spouts. The small jug illustrated in Figure 1e and Figure 2a is the only example of its kind which suggests that it may be from the crew's supplies and not cargo. The jugs can be divided into four groups on the basis of size. There was a sufficient number of jugs to make comparative measurements: 2 examples of the largest size (Figs. 1a, 2d), 5 examples of the second-largest size (Figs. 1b, 2c), 15 examples of the third-largest size (Figs. 1c, d, 2b), and 1 example of the smallest size (Figs. 1e, 2a).
The capacities of complete jugs in each of the four size groups were measured. Two measurements were taken from each jug: Maximum A, capacity when the jug was filled to the lip, and Maximum B, capacity when the jug was filled to the neck. In use, a jug would probably have been filled to a level between the bottom of the neck and the lip. The following measurements are in millilitres.
2. Flagons A fragment of the spout and handle of one vessel and several fragments of the lower portion of other similar vessels were recovered (Figs. 3, 6a). The strap handle is held to the neck under the rim on a wide flange. (The writer has such a vessel, purchased in Saintes, Charente-Maritime, in his collection.) Comparative material occurs in the Fortress of Louisbourg collection. 3. Barbers' Bowls Fragments of the rims and upper portion of several examples of these wide-flanged bowls, with two slightly different profiles as illustrated (Fig. 4a, b), were recovered. After throwing, a large semi-circular piece was cut from each bowl rim with a wire. The cut edges were not trimmed.
4. Porringers Fragments of several small-rimmed bowls and handles of similar form to the one illustrated (Figs. 4c, 6d) were recovered. The example illustrated is a composite from several fragments. The handle illustrated is lightly slashed along its edges whereas the others that were examined were not treated in this way. The exteriors are clear yellow-glazed. They are decorated in probably four places on the inside of the bowl with a sprinkling of iron powder put on the wet glaze. 5. Cream Pans The vessel illustrated in Figure 4d, a cream pan with two loop-handles and a square pouring spout, is a composite from several fragments. Each handle is a moulded strap handle applied on its side to the upper rim of the vessel (Fig. 6b). Some handles are less well set than others, the holes being too small to grip. These vessels were mainly fired upside down, but some have been fired rim uppermost. The rim diameter measurements are all 52 cm. No base fragments were recognized. Cream pans were also recovered at Louisbourg. 6. Skillets Twenty-seven fragments of shallow bowls with slight pouring lips are associated with strap handles joined to the same rim shapes as those on the bowls. As these rim shapes only occur on such shallow bowls, it is construed that these two forms belong together to form a shallow skillet (Figs. 5a, 6c). Each handle was pierced so the vessel could be suspended when not in use. The moulded handles widen where they are fastened to the rim of the bowl and have a cut chamfer at the far end. All the skillets appear to have been fired rim uppermost. Rim diameters range from 14 cm. to 16 cm.
7. Large Lipped Bowls The large lipped bowls are of two kinds, the variation being only in the rim shape: a number of the rims are grooved on the top (Fig. 5b), but the most common form is the egg-shaped rim section (Figs. 5d, 7), fired rim uppermost. Diameters for both variants, 20 examples, are:
8. Small Bowls Small well-made vessels with square-section rims were recovered. There are minor variations of the rims, but they are principally the same as the example illustrated (Figs. 5 c, 8). Most of these bowls were fired on their sides; the rest were fired rim uppermost. Diameters of 50 examples are:
Comparative material was recovered at the Fortress of Louisbourg.
10. Tripod Everted-Rim Cooking Pots and 9. Associated Lids The lid illustrated (Fig. 5e) was reconstructed from fragments as were the rim, base, handles and feet of the cooking pot (Fig. 5f). Both lid and pot are paralleled by complete examples in the collections at the Fortress of Louisbourg. The lids were thrown as small cup-shaped bowls, then inverted and a grooved strap handle applied over the top. The cooking pots have sharply everted rims on angular shoulders providing seating to take lids of the form illustrated. Although a pot could not be reconstructed, the sherds indicated that the body is drum-shaped. The pots have three feet comprised of pulled lengths of clay pressed on and folded back. The handles are set horizontally in a form similar to those on horizontal-handled large storage jars, see Figure 9a. The way in which the handles are fastened to the vessel is confirmed by a similar vessel at the Fortress of Louisbourg. The vessels were fired on their sides.
11. Storage Jars A. Vertical-Handled Large Storage Jars Figure 9b is a conjectural drawing of a vertical-handled large storage jar based on five fragments. The handles are of solid rod section with a marked ridge on the front and are opposed and set vertically. The vessels are glazed only on the inside. Figure 9c illustrates a rim of similar but smaller form of which two examples exist. The two smaller rims are glazed both inside and out. B. Small Storage Jars One rim fragment (Fig. 9e) and the part of the side of another vessel (Fig. 9d), glazed on the outside only, were recovered. They are finely thrown. There is no evidence of any fittings. C. Horizontal-Handled Large Storage Jars A large handle of the horizontal type (Fig. 9a) was applied at a slight angle to each vessel. The handle, box-moulded and fixed with two deep indentations, was probably from a cylindrical vessel of "bread crock" type. 12. Plates Fragments of four plates were recovered, but they were too insignificant to draw. The inner rim flange averages 18 cm. 13. Base Fragment One base fragment, possibly from a very thick vessel with inward-sloping walls, was recovered. It may have been from an alembic (a vessel used in distillation). Type 2: Slip-Decorated Red-Fabric Ware The slip-decorated red-fabric vessels are bowls, dishes and plates (Figs. 10-16). The decorated vessels had stood in crates or barrels packed in vegetable matter and had been burned during the destruction of the Machault. The burning had the effect of almost completely destroying all evidence of pattern and colour range as the vessels were totally blackened on the glazed areas. The decoration was only indicated by raised lines where the slip was of sufficient height to be seen or felt. Similar ware from the Fortress of Louisbourg shows that not only the burning was responsible for the poor condition of these vessels. The very poor quality of this ware caused the glaze to flake and fail even when newly delivered. The fabric is slightly sandy and its standard colour is brick red. Large irregular quartz crystals occur naturally but infrequently in the fabric; these have a greater frequency of distribution in the larger vessels than in the smaller ones. Flecks of mica are common throughout the range of vessels. The throwing of all the vessels is of a high order for earthenwares. The vessels were cut from a stilled wheel with wire. White clay slip covers the inside of the vessels, slightly lapping over the edges, a feature common to all the vessels. Decoration is trailed slip, probably confined to only two colours — green and brown — on the white ground. The central design common to all the small vessels is a whorl. Other than those motifs illustrated (Figs. 10a, b, 11a-f) there is some evidence for birds and other unidentifiable symbols. The insides of the vessels are covered with a clear lead glaze, the colour of which (where it can be seen) appears to be pale green, often of a slightly creamy nature. The glaze is washed on and does not go beyond the rim or, in many cases, completely cover the slip.
1. Flanged Bowls, Dishes and Plates With the minor exception of the flanged rim and the motif, these vessels are all variations of the same form. They are thrown to the same profile and have the same bead rim, the same foot dimple and the same sharply defined angles. They should therefore be considered as of one family, all probably made by the same hand. A. Flanged Bowls The decorative motifs on the flanged bowl illustrated in Figure 10c, band the accompanying base fragment (Fig. 10a) are different from those of other flanged bowls (although less so in the case of the base fragment). The tulip motif (Fig. 10b) is drawn from what can be seen in relief as the bowl is completely blackened. Although the fabric of this piece has not been examined miscroscopically, it is included here on the grounds of form and the fact that it has been burned. The use of a tulip as decoration is, however, a puzzle if this piece is southwestern French although another tulip occurs in the Fortress of Louisbourg collection and it is known on vessels in the northwest and from Beauvais (Oise) in particular where it is given a general date range of the 17th and 18th centuries (Musée National de Céramique de Sèvres 1973: 32, Pl. 320). B. Flanged Dishes The second-largest size and largest size flanged dishes (Fig. 11i, j) are decorated with whorls, zig-zags, "circles of dots" (Fig. 11b-e) and "wheat ears" (Fig. 11a). The most common design used, illustrated in Figure 11c, could be seen on 25 vessels. The designs illustrated in Figure 1b and d occurred on three vessels, and each of those illustrated in Figure 11a and e only on one. No designs were seen on the smallest flanged dishes examined (Fig. 11h), but many of these dishes were burned into stacks and a definitive examination was not possible. Dish dimensions are:
C. Flanged Plates The flanged plates (Fig. 11g) are all decorated. The decoration on them (Fig. 11f) is a variant of the design illustrated in Figure 11c. Plate dimensions are:
Type 3: Undecorated, Unglazed and Partly Glazed Red-Fabric Ware The undecorated, unglazed and partly glazed red-fabric ware is comprised of cooking pots and storage jars (Figs. 17-21). The fabric is hard, slightly sandy and brick red in colour, sometimes firing to a deep buff colour. It contains occasional small quartz crystals and pieces of mica. The appearance and feel of this fabric is identical to that of the Type 2 materials. 1. Double-Handled Round-Bottomed Cooking Pots The double-handled round-bottomed cooking pots (Figs. 17, 18) were thrown in the same way as the slip-ware. The bases are slightly flattened and not completely dished. The handles, of rod section, are fastened to the top of the rims. The basal fastening is pressed onto the pot and smoothed out. They are glazed only around the inside of the rim although some pots exhibit traces of glaze on the inside of the base. No slip; no decoration. During firing the pots were stacked one on top of another, base on rim which is indicated by a colour change and the presence of volatilized glaze from the pot beneath on the outside of the base of the pot stacked above it. Two sizes of this form were examined: small (Fig. 17a) and large (Fig. 17b). Examples of the latter were very fragmentary. Only one complete example occurred and that was of the small size (Fig. 18). Diameters of rim sizes were the only guide to vessel size:
2. Storage Jars The storage jars were thrown in one piece and had cut footrings and bases. No glaze; no decoration. They were fired very hard. The nearly complete storage jar illustrated (Figs. 19a, 21) is matched by several fragments of which four rims are of similar form and size. Only one rim form of the kind illustrated in Figure 19b occurs. There are three examples of the inscription illustrated in Figure 20a and one example of the inscription illustrated in Figure 20b. Comparative material was found at the Fortress of Louisbourg.
Miscellaneous Decorated and Undecorated Coarse Earthenwares In the miscellaneous decorated and undecorated category are plates, a bowl, dishes, porringers lids and a cooking pot (Figs. 22-27). 1. Plates with "Circles of Dots" Decoration The fabric is brick red, very open and vesicular with fine quartz inclusions. The plates were thrown on a small domed "bat" to give a seating to the vessel. The quality of the throwing is very poor. They were fired on edge. Although some vessels appear to be undecorated, most are decorated with circles of dots. The decoration is always in a white slip and appears to have been applied with a special tool as the patterns are consistently of the same form and number of dots (Fig. 22a-c, 26a). The colour effect, where seen, is of white dots on a brown ground. The glaze was badly damaged by the fire onboard ship. There was only one form of the plates and this was as shown in Figure 22d. The dimensions were remarkably constant: height. 4 cm.; width. 11 cm.
2. Marbled-Slip Bowl The fabric is very hard, dense, slightly sandy and dark red. As a result of being fired in an oxidizing atmosphere in the kiln, the unglazed exterior has become pale buff in colour. The inside of the bowl is covered in a fine purified lead glaze over a marbling of white slip applied while the vessel was very wet — probably while it was still on the wheel. The vessel was then lightly joggled so the marbling is restricted to one part of the vessel only. The colour effect is a white to yellow pattern on a rich dark red surface (Figs. 22e, f, 23). Comparative material was found at the Fortress of Louisbourg.
3. White-Slipped Red ware Dishes with Applied Green Colour Decoration These dishes (Fig. 23c) are in a hard, pale pink fabric, unglazed areas of which fire to a rich buff or salmon-red colour. The fabric is slightly vesicular, but is without any visible or distinct inclusions. The bases were turned while the vessel was leather-hard. The insides were washed with white slip and subsequently decorated with a pattern in green colour. The original glaze colour of most of the vessels has been altered in the fire aboard ship. Two patterns occur: nine examples of the pattern illustrated in Figures 24b and 25 and three examples of the pattern illustrated in Figure 24a. There are slight variations in the height between 3.5 cm. and 4.5 cm.; the principal height is 4 cm. The width is constant at 10.5 cm. Comparative material was recovered at the Fortress of Louisbourg.
4. Fine Brown-Glazed Red Earthenware with Black Trailed Slip Decoration The fabric is very hard, very fine, dark red earthenware without inclusions. The vessels, which include plates (Figs. 24e, g, 27a, c), dishes, porringers, lids (Figs. 24d, 27b) and a tureen handle (Figs. 24h, 27d), are decorated with black lines poured randomly over the surface, all under a dark and lustrous deep-brown glaze (Fig. 24f). A tureen handle has a press-moulded design of raised studs. As this material is very fragmentary, parallels have been drawn from material found at Fort Beauséjour and at the Fortress of Louisbourg. Fragments of four other plates parallel the plate illustrated in Figure 24g. 5. Cooking Pot A small fragment of the rim and handle and eight rim fragments of a cooking pot were recovered. The illustration (Fig. 24i) is based on the rim and handle fragment and comparative material from Fort Beauséjour and the Fortress of Louisbourg. The vessel is of coarse buff fabric. The short strap handle has a markedly inturned flange and deep thumbing at the top; it was applied below the rim. Pale green glaze is present on the inside of the pot. The nine rim fragments range in diameter from 8 cm. to 10 cm.
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