Preserving the Prehistoric Pottery of Nantucket by Karl Wietzel

Preserving the Prehistoric Pottery of Nantucket

By Karl Wietzel, NHA Collections Specialist

On a visit to the Whaling Museum, the first exhibit typically encountered is a display of Wampanoag artifacts. While these artifacts are a window to the many thousands of years of adaptation, technological expertise, and modes of settlement and subsistence by the island’s first peoples, they represent just a small fraction of Native American objects curated by the Nantucket Historical Association. Beginning in 2020, through funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the NHA team began a major update to how the rest of this vital collection is preserved, studied, and made accessible.

Among the pieces on display at the Whaling Museum, one stands out: a beautiful, partially reconstructed pottery vessel. The use of pottery is an earmark of the Woodland period beginning around 3,000 years ago. On Nantucket, this was a time of environmental stabilization, as tidal estuaries, ponds, and salt marshes formed across the island. Archaeologists interpret the presence of pottery and its use on Nantucket archaeological sites as evidence of site use during the Woodland Period, coinciding with cultivation of indigenous plants, exploitation of salt marsh resources such as shellfish and grasses, and the establishment of community settlement areas and gardens. While people had been utilizing the island’s natural resources long before 3,000 Before Present Era (BPE) evidence suggests that during the Woodland Period, Native Americans were remaining on Nantucket on a permanent or semi-permanent basis. Early Woodland pottery is typically thick, grit-tempered, and undecorated. As ceramic and tool technology improved in the Northeast, so did the pottery forms, and by the Late Woodland period, vessels were typically stylized, sturdy, and refined, many having been shell-tempered and bearing distinctive decoration. For tribal historians, archaeologists, and museum staff, Pre-Contact period Native American pottery is valuable for research in a number of key areas. As a starting point, because pottery is not easily transported, a deposit of pottery sherds often suggests a nearby settlement. Pottery in general, and various pottery forms, relate to specific time periods, helping to refine the age of archaeological sites within the Woodland Period. Protein and lipid residue analyses can show what a piece was used for. For archaeologists in the sub field of ceramic archaeology, complete or partially reconstructed vessels provide data on the size and volume of containers, methods of construction, and cultural identity through craftsmanship and design. The list goes on, from migration and trade patterns, to cultural affiliations with neighboring communities, population density, discard behaviors, production methods, technological innovations, and linear connections to artisans today. Stone tools make up the bulk of Native American artifacts now stored at the NHA and rightfully garner much attention. They are, for the most part, complete and familiar; stone artifacts are difficult to break, and share many of the same functions as similar tools used today. The collection also contains research-rich materials from excavation sites, including soil samples, charcoal fragments, animal bone, and the field notebooks of dozens of archaeologists. Research and exhibition potential meet with the hundreds of pottery fragments, or sherds. These pieces represent dozens of vessels and clay pipes, and most were painstakingly labeled by archaeologists in the field so that they might someday be studied and reconstructed.

Dr. Elizabeth Little, who over several decades spearheaded research on the pre-historic and early colonial periods on Nantucket, often discouraged further excavation and disturbance of Native American sites on the island. Little recommended that “the abundant available resources not requiring excavation form the basis for...thorough study.” Today, the collection is being migrated into long-term storage solutions based in part

The Cape and Islands at 9,000 BPE, before the Nantucket and Vineyard Sounds were formed due to sea level rise. Courtesy of Gray & Pape Heritage Management.

Partially reconstructed prehistoric pottery vessel. On display at the Whaling Museum, Nantucket.

Pottery sherds excavated by archaeologists on Nantucket, housed at the NHA’s collections management facility.

on the potential for future research. Ceramics bearing clear provenance are carefully wrapped in tissue and bagged according to where they were excavated. Even with this information, potential areas for study can be difficult to identify. As objects are taken out of an excavation site and grouped by material, context is lost. Years in storage makes residue analysis more difficult, and rather than working directly with the archaeologists who conducted the field work, there is a reliance on the records they left behind. Still, the collection can help answer some of the fundamental questions about prehistoric pottery on Nantucket: Was pottery made here, or brought from other places? Is there pottery on Nantucket that is stylistically unique? Can the pottery on Nantucket be sourced to Martha’s Vineyard or the mainland? How did pottery change on Nantucket? What was collected, stored, and cooked in Nantucket pottery? There has never been a major study in these areas.

The collection housed at the NHA contains thousands of artifacts, many associated with specific excavation sites, that have not been researched for decades, if ever. Preparing these artifacts for future research requires painstaking work, from record keeping and maintenance to careful handling and storage. From an exhibition perspective, the display of material types like pottery allows museums to interpret North American prehistory in new ways, with less emphasis on stone tools so familiar to audiences, and greater appreciation for the rich, textured lifeways of Native Americans from the distant past. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Congratulations to our 2021 NHA Scholarship Recipients!

Boden Corbett was born and raised on Nantucket by his parents Kelly (Michetti) and Scott Corbett. Along with his three siblings; Isaac, Porter, and Tatum, Boden is a 13th generation Nantucket native. During his time at NHS, he played on the varsity ice hockey team, acted as a Nantucket Community School summer camp counselor, and enjoyed making people laugh with his quick witted humor. With the strong belief that health is wealth, Boden will be attending Framingham State University with plans to pursue a career in psychotherapy. Bishaka Dhamala was born and raised in Nepal and moved to Nantucket at the age of eleven. Raised by her father, Bishnu Kumar Dhamala, her brother Sabin Dhamala and without a female figure, she learned to stand firm as a rock with a positive perspective despite the challenges. Throughout her time at NHS, she built various relationships with her teachers, counselors, community members, coaches, and friends. She is very thankful to Nantucket for giving her numerous opportunities to become who she is today, and in the future, she looks forward to giving back to the community by using her voice and knowledge to help other first-generation students like herself. She will be attending University of Massachusetts Amherst to study biochemistry and molecular biology.

NHA scholarships are awarded to graduating seniors of Nantucket High School who pursue a four-year college degree and have demonstrated a commitment to Nantucket’s community through volunteer time and initiatives.

Grace Hood has lived on Nantucket her whole life. She grew up with two siblings, Zak and Marin, and her parents Lisa and Andrew Hood. Grace has enjoyed the opportunity to travel to many places with her family, including Scotland (where her dad is from), Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and Mexico. One of her most memorable trips was when she traveled to China with her Chinese class to volunteer and also learn more about the culture. This past year, Grace mentored at the Nantucket Boys & Girls Club to help provide a safe and fun environment for young children. Throughout high school she has served as class secretary and financial director for the school newspaper Veritas. She has also played lacrosse and joined the new Nantucket High School girl’s hockey team. Grace’s interests involve current social, political and environmental issues. In the fall of 2021, Grace will be attending the University of New Hampshire to double major in the Justice Studies Program. Madison Iller is a fifth generation Nantucket Native. She is proud to have over 150 hours of community service hours: serving for her church, Nantucket Dance Works and the Maria Mitchell Association. She plays Varsity Soccer and Swim, is an active member of the National Honors Society, bowhunts with her father, participates in NHS musicals, works for the Harbor Master during the summer and teaches dance classes to toddlers each weekend. She is excited to attend George Washington University in the Fall of 2021.

2020 Gifts to the Collection

2020.1

The Northern Whale Fishery. Ship Harmony of Hull and other Ice-Bound Whalers on the Davis Strait between Baffin Bay, Canada and Greenland, by W.J. Huggins, 1835 NHA purchase, with generous gifts from Kaaren and Charles Hale, Caroline and Jeffrey Padduch, and Anonymous

2020.2

Spermaceti wax samples Gift of the Chemistry Students of Nimitz High School, Irving, Texas

2020.3

Brick from Nantucket street Gift of Harvey Deutsch

2020.4

Maritime artifacts Gift of Samantha Rand

2020.5

Pair of silver cufflinks made by Morton and Reva Schlesinger Gift of Judith Wodynski

2020.6

Winthrop silver-plated six-piece silver coffee and tea service Gift of Helen Marshall Hall Brown

2020.7

Sculpted bronze portrait of Lucretia Coffin Mott, Victoria Guerina NHA purchase

2020.8 (Below)

Embroidered dinner napkin Gift of Cynthia Gallagher

2020.9

Pins pertaining to Ellen R. Ramsdell Gift of Frances Karttunen

2020.10

Engraved whalebone plaque Gift of Marcy Bartlett

2020.11

Model of the whaling brig Beaver NHA purchase, made possible with a gift from the H.L. Brown Jr. Family Foundation

2020.12

Odd Fellows regalia and rolling pin Gift of Frances Karttunen

2020.13

Three signs of various types Gift of Deborah D. Culbertson

2020.14

South Wharf, Nantucket, by Anne Ramsdell Congdon Gift of the Friends of the NHA

2020.15

Nantucket rush-seat ladder-back chair belonging to James Cary Gift of Jason Tilroe

2020.16

Murray's Toggery face mask Gift of Murray's Toggery Shop

2020.17

Historic paintings and scrimshaw Gift of James L. Dunlap

2020.18

Two sperm whale teeth Gift of the Irene Hatch Family Trust

2020.19

Road at Nantucket, Abbott Henderson Thayer, c. 1881 Gift of the Friends of the NHA

2020.20

Queequeg, Geddes Jones Paulsen, 2019 NHA purchase

2020.21

Two American Legion hats belonging to Alvin “Toppy” Topham Gift of Leigh M. Topham

2020.22

Squam House artifacts Gift of Helen Marshall Hall Brown

2020.23

Bobby Bushong poster Gift of Maurice Chaffee

2020.24

Rigging thimble, wax-seal stamp, bodkin, small fid, drawer pull, and sperm-whale stamp Gift of Deborah Edmundson

2020.25

Abraham Quary plate Gift of Rebecca Hastings

2020.26

The Nantucket Atheneum Collection Gift of the Nantucket Atheneum

2020.27

Ten Sea Cliff Inn Nantucket porcelain dinner plates NHA purchase

2020.28

Side chair from the ship Beaver Gift of John DeCiccio

2020.29

Handmade face mask Gift of Barbara Ann White

2020.30

Beach at Cliffside, Nantucket, Frank Swift Chase Gift of the Friends of the NHA

2020.31 (Above)

Fishing Fleet, Charles Green Shaw Gift of Margaret Hallowell and Stephen Langer

2020.32

Town candidate campaign buttons Gift of Sarah Alger

2020.33

Scrimshaw swift Gift of Hank Young

2020.8001

Line-O-Scribe machine printing press with four trays of type Gift of Lucile Hays

2020.8002

Nantucket scalloper Gift of Edward A. Stojak

2020.8003

Painted whale rib bone Gift of James L. Dunlap

2020.8004

Model of the frigate USS Essex Gift of Patricia Daly

2020.8005

David Lazarus mural Gift of James and Debra Treyz

2020 Accessions at the Research Library

RL2020.1

Typed manuscript on shawls Gift of Helen Marshall Hall Brown

RL2020.2

Photographs, aerials, and negatives Gift of Richard Austin

RL2020.3

Anne Ramsdell Congdon Papers Gift of the Congdon Family

RL2020.4

Old Mill photograph Gift of Woody Kay

RL2020.5

Young's Bicycle Shop maps, 1964–2014 Gift of Young’s Bicycle Shop

RL2020.6

Scans of Young's Bicycle Shop maps, 1977–2018 Gift of Young’s Bicycle Shop

RL2020.7

Bill Haddon color photograph of Old Mill Gift of Joanne Polster

RL2020.8 (Right)

Pascaert van Nieu Nederland Van Hendrick Christiaens Eyland tot Staaten hoeck of Cabo Cod, by Arent Roggeveen, 1675 Partial gift of the Friends of the Nantucket Historical Association, partial gift of Elizabeth & William Guardeniere

RL2020.9

From Shore to Shore, Phoebe Ann Coffin Hanaford NHA purchase

RL2020.10

The Writ of Injunction, Labor Unions, Boycotts, Strikes, and Contempts, William Barnes NHA purchase

RL2020.11

Columbian Centinel, 15 December 1790 edition NHA purchase

RL2020.12

Nantucket Preservation Trust house histories Gift of the Nantucket Preservation Trust

RL2020.13

Nathaniel Barney letter to Samuel Williston, 1847 Gift of Deborah Petite

RL2020.14

Sales receipt from Mendle Rothenberg's store on Main Street, 1878 Gift of Paul LaPaglia

RL2020.15

Six photographs and Ellen Ramsdell’s Garden price list Gift of Frances Karttunen

RL2020.16

Physics textbook owned by Lawrence S. Folger at the Coffin School, 1886 Gift of Norman W. Chaleki

RL2020.17

Items pertaining to Ellen Ramsdell Gift of Frances Karttunen

RL2020.21

Squam House "Chadwick's Folly" manuscript materials Gift of Helen Marshall Hall Brown

RL2020.22

Family manuscript materials and Edward Coleman Gibbs Bible Gift of Frances Karttunen

RL2020.23

Crew list for ship Barclay, 1832 NHA purchase, with a gift from Patricia and Thomas Anathan

RL2020.18

The Last Voyage of the Independence by Milo Calkin, 1953 NHA purchase

RL2020.19

Oldest House watercolor postcard Gift of Mary Shannon

RL2020.20

Geo. E. Eldridge's Chart C Vineyard Sound Lt. Ship to Chatham, 1909 NHA purchase, with a gift from Diane and Art Kelly

RL2020.24

Two Nantucket maps by the Killen Brothers, c. 1930 Gift of Susan Watkins

RL2020.25

William P. Ceely shop book and journal Gift of Adam Lincoln Ceely

RL2020.26

Aerial Views of Nantucket, Mass., 1926 Gift of Chad Gifford

RL2020.27

Eldridge’s New Chart from Chatham New Harbor to West Chop Light, 1894 NHA purchase, with support from Diane and Arthur Kelly

RL2020.28

U.S. Coast Survey Map of Block Island, Buzzard Bay, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, 1883 NHA purchase, with support from Diane and Arthur Kelly

RL2020.29

Topham family photographs Gift of Leigh M. Topham

RL2020.30

Robert Farrier and Helen Locke marriage certificate Gift of Helen Marshall Hall Brown

RL2020.31

Chafee family photos Gift of Maurice Chaffee

RL2020.32

Coffin family Bible, 1785 Gift of Ruth R. Stober

RL2020.33

Elizabeth Pinkham Crosby calling card Gift of Helen Marshall Hall Brown

RL2020.34

William Rotch letter Gift of Mary Black

RL2020.35

Ruth Haviland Sutton map, 1959 NHA purchase

RL2020.36

Methodist Church framed document Gift of Jason Tilroe

RL2020.37

Letters from Arthur Gibbs, 1918–19 Gift of Frances Karttunen

RL2020.38

Gibbs and Sylvaro Family Collection Gift of Frances Karttunen

RL2020.39

Stampless, folded letter to Catherine Gun, 1847 NHA purchase

RL2020.40

Sarah Alger Campaign for Town Moderator Papers Gift of Sarah Alger

RL2020.8001

Steamship Authority brochure with timetable Gift of Mike Fagan

RL2020.8002

The whaleman's experience in the golden age of whaling, 1814–1880, by Vincent Santapaga Gift of Vincent Santapaga

RL2020.8003

A Thousand Leagues of Blue: The Pacific Whaling Voyages of Charles and Susan Veeder of Nantucket, by Betsy Tyler NHA publication

RL2020.8004

Tales & Legends of Early Nantucket: A Historical Treasure Hunt, by Julie Jensen NHA purchase

RL2020.8005

Trees, Shrubs & Lianas of Nantucket, 2 volumes, by Yeshe Palmo NHA purchase

RL2020.8006

Last Call and The Last Bay Scallop? by John Stanton NHA purchase

RL2020.8007

Henry S. Wyer postcard Gift of W. Lee H. Dunham

RL2020.8008

"Agency: Married women traders of Nantucket, 1795-1865," by Mary Heen Gift of Mary Heen

RL2020.8009

Figuring, by Maria Popova NHA purchase

RL2020.8010

Tribe, Race, History, by Daniel Mandell NHA purchase

RL2020.8011

An Innovation Story, by Stephen L. Yelon NHA purchase

RL2020.8012

The Mapping of North American (2 vols.); New England in Early Printed Maps Gift of Arthur L. Kelly

RL2020.8013

New England Prospect: A Loan Exhibition of Maps at the Currier Gallery of Art; Surveying the Shore Gift of Michael Buehler

RL2020.8014

Sea History, No. 171, Summer 2020 Gift of the National Maritime Historical Society

RL2020.8015

Sherburne to 'Sconset: A Nantucket Success Story NHA publication

RL2020.8016

The Life and Times of Oswald Anthony Tupancy, by Paul R. Judy Gift of Paul R. Judy

RL2020.8017

From the Forecastle to the Cabin; Five Years before the Mast Gift of the Los Angeles Maritime Museum

RL2020.8018

Colonial Homes, Feb. 1998, Vol. 14 No. 1 Gift of Peter Greenhalgh

RL2020.8019

Frederick Douglass: Portrait of a Free Man Gift of Kelly Williams

RL2020.8020

Moby-Dick pop-up book NHA purchase

RL2020.8021

PBA postcard Gift of Pat Anathan

RL2020.8022

Sea History, Autumn 2020 NHA purchase

RL2020.8023

Toward poem collection Gift of Moira Linehan

RL2020.8024

Nantucket postcards Gift of Joseph W. Geldhof

RL2020.8025

Straight Wharf Theatre schedule, 1952 Gift of Diane Tibbits

RL2020.8026

Stereopticon and stereographs Gift of Elizabeth S. Jacobsen

RL2020.8027

Nantucket Ropemaker’s Notebook, by Edward Cary, 1792 reprint Gift of Des Pawson

RL2020.8028

Copy of ship Young Hero log, 1842 Gift of New Bedford Whaling Museum

RL2020.8029

In Pursuit of Knowledge, by Kabria Baumgartner NHA purchase

RL2020.8030

Marinmålarna NHA purchase