cellar hole

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Has anyone done any cellar hole digging? As mostly a small dump digger (so far) I've yet to attempt anything on this scale. I did a test dig in a filled in cellar hole yesterday and found a lot of glass and pottery in a small area. Found part of Foley's Kidney and Bladder Cure and neck of an old beer bottle with stopper and wire still intact and found one whole plain glass bottle. This would be a big area to dig and I have permission to dig it, but I'm wondering what I may be getting into. Lots of hand molded brick in there. It's not the type of dig that can be worked in a weekend. Site is 1840 to 1890's and I've found a couple of Bitter's bottles in this general area. (Stomach Bitters, Hop Bitters and Electric Bitters.)
 

woody

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I've had good luck digging cellar holes here in New Hampshire. (Although not this time of year)
Where I've had the best luck are in cellar holes that were close to a road and were used for a dump after the building was gone.
Sometimes there will have been a fire and all that remains is melted glass.
My philosophy has always been "nothing ventured, nothing gained."
 
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Thanks for the reply Woody.....you have given me encouragement and now I look forward to warmer drier weather.
 

woody

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I've dug some nice pontiled bottles in cellar holes over the years.
You definitely want to check them out when/if it gets warmer.
 
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Quick update for those interested.....dug a little while in the mud. Found so many broken bitters bottles I could have almost cried. If I'd have broken 'em myself I probably would have cried, lol. All those bricks and rocks thrown in this cellar hole really put the whammy to the good stuff. I did find three really nice early bottles and a honey amber Globe fruit jar lid. (And many pieces of the jar itself.) Gonna wait till it warms up and dries out before I go back.
 

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