107
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Knowledge Repository @ IUP eses and Dissertations (All) 5-2015 Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia Samantha A. Savory Indiana University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: hp://knowledge.library.iup.edu/etd is esis is brought to you for free and open access by Knowledge Repository @ IUP. It has been accepted for inclusion in eses and Dissertations (All) by an authorized administrator of Knowledge Repository @ IUP. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Recommended Citation Savory, Samantha A., "Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia" (2015). eses and Dissertations (All). 1241. hp://knowledge.library.iup.edu/etd/1241

Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    2

  • Download
    1

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

Indiana University of PennsylvaniaKnowledge Repository @ IUP

Theses and Dissertations (All)

5-2015

Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short LivedUtopiaSamantha A. SavoryIndiana University of Pennsylvania

Follow this and additional works at: http://knowledge.library.iup.edu/etd

This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Knowledge Repository @ IUP. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations(All) by an authorized administrator of Knowledge Repository @ IUP. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected].

Recommended CitationSavory, Samantha A., "Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia" (2015). Theses and Dissertations (All). 1241.http://knowledge.library.iup.edu/etd/1241

Page 2: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

BROOK FARM: A CERAMIC ANALYSIS OF A SHORT LIVED UTOPIA

A Thesis

Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and Research

in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree

Master of Arts

Samantha A. Savory

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

May 2015

Page 3: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

ii

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

School of Graduate Studies and Research

Department of Anthropology

We hereby approve the thesis of

Samantha A. Savory

Candidate for the degree of Master of Arts

Benjamin L. Ford, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Anthropology, Advisor

Phillip Neusius, Ph.D.

Professor of Anthropology

Ellen Berkland, M.A.

Archaeologist

Massachusetts Department of Recreation and

Conservation

Joseph Bagley, M.A.

City of Boston , Archaeologist

ACCEPTED

Randy L. Martin, Ph.D.

Dean

School of Graduate Studies and Research

Page 4: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

iii

Title: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

Author: Samantha A. Savory

Thesis Chair: Dr. Benjamin L. Ford

Thesis Committee Members: Dr. Phillip Neusius

Ms. Ellen Berkland

Mr. Joseph Bagely

This research focuses on the ceramics from the Brook Farm site to determine if the

assemblage of a utopian communal site is different from a non-utopian site. Brook Farm was a

community in Massachusetts established in 1841 and ending in 1847. Brook Farm was an

experiment in social reconstruction designed to reunite man and nature in a communal and

agricultural community inspired by transcendentalism. In 1844 Brook Farm officially adopted a

new social reform theory, Fourierism, which incorporated the industrialization occurring in New

England at the time. Consumer choice theory helped to guide the research to determine if the

ceramic assemblage is unique, based on what ceramics were chosen by members to be at the site.

There was an intra-site comparison between two areas in Brook Farm, the Eyrie and the Cottage,

as well as a comparison to an urban site in the Tremont Street Housing site.

Page 5: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Ford, Dr. Phil, Ellen Berkland and Joe

Bagely without them I would not have been able to complete this research. Thank you to Dr.

Ford for continuously keeping me on track when it was so easy to stay in my room and only

think about writing my thesis.

Thank you to Joe for being there when I needed a topic for this thesis he definitely gave

me options. It was nice to have someone continuously be as excited as I was that the Brook

Farm site was being worked on.

Thank you to Ellen for agree to be part of this project with me before even meeting me!

I would like to thank my wonderful boyfriend Randy Marcotte for being with me every

step of the way. Graduate school kept us separated for the better part of two years and he was

constantly helping me through. He constantly listened to my stresses and helped me with my

day. I also want to send my apologies for all my awful moods while at home and stressing over

all the problems with my collections and my thesis. He had no idea what I was talking about but

always made me laugh and allowed my stress to float away. THANK YOU!!

Finally I need to say the deepest thanks to my Mom and Dad, without them I would have

never made it this far. From a young age I had thought of archaeology as a career, without even

knowing where it would lead. Many parents want their children to be doctors or businessmen, or

just people who are guaranteed to make a lot of money, they are probably kicking themselves but

they supported my choice to become an archaeologist; hardly guaranteed employment!. They

have done nothing but support me and allow me to follow my dreams. I love you guys! Thank

you!

Page 6: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter Page

ONE INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................1

TWO SOCIAL BACKGROUND .........................................................................5

THREE BROOK FARM HISTORY ........................................................................19

FOUR ARCHAEOLOGY OF UTOPIA ................................................................31

FIVE THEORY AND METHOD.........................................................................37

SIX ANALYSIS .................................................................................................48

SEVEN DISCUSSION .............................................................................................64

REFERENCES CITED ..........................................................................................................73

APPENDICES .......................................................................................................................76

Appendix A: Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue .................................76

Page 7: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

vi

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1 Table of Mean Ceramic Dates for Each Unit and Level in the Cottage Used for

Analysis......................................................................................................................49

2 Table of Mean Ceramic Dates for Each Unit and Level in the Eyrie Used for

Analysis......................................................................................................................50

3 Obtained Vessel Count for Eyrie and Cottage ...........................................................56

4 Expected Vessel Count for Eyrie and Cottage ...........................................................56

5 Observed Sherd Count for the Eyrie and Cottage ......................................................57

6 Expected Sherd Count for the Eyrie and Cottage ......................................................67

7 Obtained Whiteware Sherd Count for Eyrie and Cottage ..........................................58

8 Expected Whiteware Sherd Count for Eyrie and Cottage .........................................58

9 Observed Whiteware Vessel Count for Eyrie and Cottage ........................................58

10 Expected Whiteware Vessel Count for Eyrie and Cottage ........................................58

11 Observed Vessel Count for Brook Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site ........61

12 Expected Vessel Count for Brook Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site.........62

13 Observed sherd count for Brook Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site ...........62

14 Expected Sherd Count for Brook Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site ..........62

15 Observed Whiteware Sherd Count for Brook Farm and the Tremont Street

Housing Site ..............................................................................................................63

16 Expected Whiteware Sherd Count for Brook Farm and the Tremont Street

Housing Site ..............................................................................................................63

Page 8: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

vii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1 Charles Fourier.............................................................................................................13

2 Albert Brisbane ............................................................................................................16

3 George Ripley ..............................................................................................................19

4 Historic map of Brook Farm .......................................................................................20

5 Painting depicting the Layout of the Brook Farm Institute of Agriculture and

Education. ....................................................................................................................22

6 Map of the Brook Farm site .........................................................................................26

7 Excavation transects for Eyrie .....................................................................................41

8 USGS map showing location of Brook Farm and Tremont Street Housing site .........43

9 Graph showing percentages of ceramics in the Cottage assemblage ...........................51

10 Percentages of ceramic ware type in Eyrie assemblage ...............................................52

11 Percentages of whiteware decoration in Eyrie .............................................................53

12 Percentages of Cottage whiteware decoration .............................................................54

13 Percentages of ceramic ware type in Tremont Street Housing assemblage .................60

14 Percentages of ceramic ware type in combined Brook Farm assemblage ...................60

15 Colander from Cottage, interior (Left) and exterior (Right) ........................................65

16 Whiteware jug rim from Eyrie .....................................................................................66

17 Re-fit handpainted floral rim .......................................................................................67

18 Blue transferprint whiteware from Cottage .................................................................67

19 Sample of undecorated whiteware, majority of Brook Farm assemblage ...................68

Page 9: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

1

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

This research is a ceramic analysis of the utopian community of Brook Farm to determine

if there is a difference between the utopian community and the non-utopian Tremont Street

Housing site. This site was a transcendental and Fourierist utopian community that began in

1841 and ended shortly after in 1847. This research discusses the social and economic factors

that lead the New England people to embrace a utopian ideal beginning in the mid-1800s. The

Cottage and Eyrie from Brook Farm were both houses that were used as boarding residences for

members as well as guests and classrooms for the school at Brook Farm. These two buildings

were compared as part of an intra-site comparison and then were combined to create one Brook

Farm assemblage to compare with the Tremont Street Housing Site.

Three questions guided this research.

What ceramics were the people of Brook Farm using?

There hasn’t been an analysis of the ceramics from Brook Farm and the only catalogues

in the Boston City Archaeology laboratory are incomplete. Determining which ceramic types

were recovered from Brook Farm made it possible to compare the Eyrie and the Cottage. This

also provided a larger assemblage, by combining the Eyrie and the Cottage to create one larger

Brook Farm site assemblage that could be compared to the Tremont Street Housing site.

How does the Cottage assemblage compare to the Eyrie assemblage?

These two buildings within Brook Farm were occupied and used for similar purposes,

education and boarding. The uses were similar but the people living at the residences were

different. Do the different residents produce a different assemblage?

Page 10: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

2

How does the Brook Farm site assemblage compare to a non-utopian Tremont Street Housing

site assemblage?

The utopian society of Brook Farm was set apart from the rest of the Boston area. Are the

simple ideals set forth by the community reflected in the ceramic assemblage? Comparing the

Brook Farm assemblage to the Tremont Street Housing site will determine if the assemblages are

significantly different based on the people living at these sites.

Outline of the Thesis

Chapter Two will discuss the social and economic problems that were affecting New

England in the 1800s. The economic Panic of 1837 caused a sudden joblessness throughout

America (Delano 2004; McGrane 1965; Rouseau 2002). Educated men and women of New

England were increasingly reading European philosopher’s work just as the Panic of 1837

happened. The Transcendental Club, as it was known, was a large group of men and women that

discussed any and all topics that came to mind (Delano 2004). Largely open minded there were

many paths that were eventually taken by the members of this Transcendental Club. One of

which was the creation of Brook Farm by George Ripley. Fourierism was brought to America by

Albert Brisbane, a disciple of the French philosopher Charles Fourier, in the 1840s. This brought

a new utopian alternative to society allowing people a way out of the common economic

problems by moving into communal societies. Fourierism became part of Brook Farm and part

of America.

Chapter Three discusses the history of Brook Farm, from beginning to end. Brook Farm

was founded by George Ripley in 1841. The community began as a transcendental experiment

that focused on education and agriculture. Brook Farm became a haven for educated men and

women interested in living with nature. The community established the Brook Farm School for

Page 11: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

3

Education and Agriculture and became a popular boarding school in New England (Burton 1939,

Curtis1961, Delano 2004, Preucel and Pendery 2006). They strived to educate and bring man

closer to nature, philosophy taught in the fields. The history of Brook Farm is unique because it

was the only transcendental community created in history (Delano 2006). The community soon

changed to Fourierism, which made the community focus on the changes to society. Fourierism

brought new members to the community; these were different members than joined under the

transcendental community. These new members were more working class and artisan types

(Delano 2004). The end of Brook Farm came by financial crisis and loss of faith in the

community. By 1847, all the members, even the Ripley’s, had left the community (Burton 1939;

Curtis 1961; Delano 2004; Preucel and Pendery 2006).

Chapter Four will discuss the previous and current archaeology of utopian sites. These

communities have been studied by archaeologists for the unique histories and artifacts. The

majority of questions originally focused on the end of the communities, what happened to make

them fail. But the questions have evolved to trying to understand the communities as they

thrived. Archaeologists compare the assemblages to non-utopian sites, both urban and rural, and

study what makes them different. The ceramic analysis on Brook Farm is similar to analysis of

the Theosophical Society Dump site in California (Van Wormer and Gross 2006).

Chapter Five discusses the theory and methods used to answer the guiding questions of

this research. The theory of consumer choice was chosen to provide insight into creating and

answering the question about the Brook Farm ceramic assemblage. The methods will discuss

how the ceramic inventory was created and how the analysis was conducted.

Chapter Six contains the charts, tables and figures that show how the analysis was

conducted. The chi square analysis, minimum vessel count, and mean ceramic date were used in

Page 12: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

4

the analysis. This chapter discusses the tests, how they were conducted and what the results from

the tests were.

Chapter Seven will discuss the results of the analysis and the interpretations for what the

results mean for Brook Farm. The chapter will be structured to answer the three research

questions posed in chapters one and five. This chapter will address each question and provide an

interpretation from the analysis conducted. This chapter will also provide insights into further

research that can be conducted with the Brook Farm assemblage.

Page 13: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

5

CHAPTER TWO

SOCIAL BACKGROUND

Introduction

This chapter will discuss the social and economic changes that occurred during the mid-

1800s that readied society for an establishment like the Brook Farm community. There will be a

focus on transcendentalism and Fourierism the two ideological movements that were the major

influences for the creation of and life at Brook Farm. As well as the major economic crisis that

opened the minds of citizens to embrace such movements.

The economic crisis known as the Panic of 1837 was a major precursor to the idea of

Brook Farm (Delano 2004; Haraszti 1937; Preucel and Pendery 2006). This event combined with

the social unrest of the time, the Abolition and labor movements, created a desire for change in

society. The change to society came in the mid-1800s, when utopian communities began to

emerge around the country. There were two leading theoretical movements that emphasized the

creation of alternative communities; transcendentalism and Fourierism. Transcendentalism

emphasized uniting nature and man, living simply and thinking critically about life (Delano

2004; Preucel and Pendery 2006). Fourierism was a true utopian movement that strove to change

all of society with these new communities. Fourierism came out of France, focusing on creating

a society that was self-sustaining, with the least amount of interaction with the mainstream

society as possible. Fourierism strove to create a society that would embrace some parts of the

emerging industrialization, as well as combating the economic strife that faced the working man

(Delano 2004; Guarneri 1991; Preucel and Pendery 2006). These movements combined with the

growing social unrest to create numerous different societies; Brook Farm was one of these

societies.

Page 14: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

6

The Panic of 1837

The economic disaster known as the Panic of 1837 was a six year long depression. The

Panic of 1837 was caused by domestic and international factors, although the majority of the

blame goes to President Andrew Jackson (McGrane 1965; Rouseau 2002). There were two

domestic factors that set the stage for the Panic of 1837, first was the closure of the Bank of the

United States. The closure of the Bank of the United States dispersed the nation’s funds to

several larger banks, mainly in New York, and allowed many smaller banks to open (McGrane

1965; Rouseau 2002). The opening of numerous banks was beneficial at first, allowing many

people to take out loans and start businesses, although the benefits were soon forgotten when the

people could not afford to pay their loans back.

The second domestic cause of The Panic of 1837 occurred on July 11, 1836; President

Jackson passed the Specie Circular, which forced land purchases to be made in coinage rather

than the popular bank note (Haraszti 1937; McGrane 1965; Rouseau 2002). President Jackson

wanted to preserve the West as a frontier, but the lands were being bought quickly and the

frontier was becoming smaller. The land speculators would use bank notes to purchase the land

and the bank would not always be able to back bank notes with its coinage (McGrane 1965;

Rouseau 2002). The Specie Circular was meant to slow the purchase of the land in the West, but

it failed and caused larger banks to be depleted of their coinage (Rouseau 2002). Land

speculation peaked to a historic high in 1836 and swiftly dropped by 1837, causing the

depression (McGrane 1965; Rouseau 2002). When Van Buren took over the presidency many

called for the repeal of the Specie Circular, though the laissez-fair politics of the time prompted

Van Buren to keep the Specie Circular and left the banks to fend for themselves, there would be

no bail-out for them (McGrane 1965).

Page 15: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

7

These domestic problems became even graver when the international community began

to call in their loan payments. In 1837 international powers such as Great Britain- that had

loaned the United States money called in their loans, but the depleted banks could not pay

(McGrane 1965; Rouseau 2002). Between 1837 and 1844, 194of the 729 banks in the United

States were forced to close due to lack of money; many other banks had to suspend payment in

order to stay in business. (McGrane 1965; Rouseau 2002).

The Panic of 1837 hit hard in New England because of the large population of merchants

and industries that relied on banks for loans (McGrane 1965). The eastern states had $62,000,000

in capitol, $98,000,000 in loans, only $2,000,000 in specie, and $22,000,000 in circulation

(McGrane 1965). The banks began to close and suspend payment of loans; many small

businesses closed, including industrial endeavors (McGrane 1965; Rouseau 2002). Soon citizens

were losing their jobs and homes, and began living on the streets. The homelessness caught the

attention of many prominent educated men and women. By 1840 Unitarian Minister George

Ripley was unable to remain at his pulpit while the masses suffered (Delano 2004; Haraszti

1937). He began to plan his new community of Brook Farm. With the Panic of 1837 the

discussion of social movements that embraced the formation of alternative communities became

prominent in Boston as well as the North East in general.

Transcendentalism

The road to transcendentalism in America begins with the New Age of Enlightenment

and the two major religious views, Trinitarian and Unitarians. Trinitarians believed that the

Father, Son and Holy Ghost were equally holy figures while Unitarians believed in one God and

that Jesus was sent to be an example for humans (Gura 2007). Unitarians were known as

“Liberal Christians”, they believed in a critical history of the Bible and that reason and critical

Page 16: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

8

thought were necessary in religion (Delano 2004; Gura 2007). The biggest difference between

the two factions was Trinitarians believed the Bible was the literal word of God, while Unitarians

believed the Bible was not the literal word of God because man wrote the Bible (Gura 2007).

This emergence of Unitarianism promoted a discussion of religion, God, philosophy and

treatment of the Bible as a literary artifact (Gura 2007). The birth of Unitarianism as a religious

group by the early 1800s allowed discussion of religion to blossom and opened the door for

discussion of new ideas, such as the emerging transcendental philosophies. It was the Unitarian

community that began to embrace the new transcendental philosophies that were emerging out of

Europe.

Transcendentalism in America grew out of a New England movement, but it was not an

original American idea, it came from over-seas, mainly Germany and France. The German

philosopher Immanuel Kant, along with others, was a philosophical idol for Americans and his

works were the foundation of American transcendentalism (Delano 2004; Frothingham 1959;

Gura 2007; Haraszti 1937). The origins of transcendentalism were solely philosophical;

“Transcendental philosophy [was] taught in schools, and professed by many thoughtful and

earnest people, but it never affected society in its organized institutions or practical interests.”

(Frothingham 1959:105). American transcendentalism took it beyond discussion and turned it

into a social reform movement (Gura 2007; Rose 1981). Beginning in the 1830s the American

people were craving change and began accepting change.

The first meeting to spark the rise of transcendentalism in New England, and America as

a whole, was held in 1836. This meeting was held in Boston and consisted of only four men,

Frederic Henry Hedge, Ralph Waldo Emerson, George Putnam, and George Ripley, all were

Unitarian ministers except for Emerson (Delano 2004; Frothingham 1959; Gura 2007; Rose

Page 17: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

9

1981). The men met in September of 1836 at the graduation of their Alma-Mater, Harvard

Divinity School to “confer together on the state of current opinion in theology and philosophy”

(Gura 2007:70). This type of meeting soon became a common event for many with an open mind

and the desire to discuss religion and philosophy; this forum became known as the

Transcendental Club (Delano 2004; Francis 1994; Gura 2007).

Each person from the original meeting began to serve different roles in the new

transcendental movement. George Ripley and George Putnam were known as a foot soldiers for

the cause, spreading the word through their work in Boston. Ripley preached at his Purchase

Street pulpit and also held many of the Transcendental Club’s meetings in his home

(Frothingham 1959; Gura 2007). Emerson became a prominent figure in the discussion circuit,

he spent the majority of his life travelling and speaking at public forums about

transcendentalism, among other topics (Gura 2007). Hedge was living in Bangor, Maine and

contributed to transcendental journals and sometimes came to meetings but largely kept to

himself. He especially stayed away when transcendentalism became more than just discussion

and members began speaking against Unitarianism (Gura 2007). The transcendental movement

quickly grew both in popularity and membership. Bronson Alcott and Margaret Fuller and

Elizabeth Peabody and Orestus Brownson, became well known advocates (Delano 2004; Francis

1994; Frothingham 1959; Gura 2007; Rose 1981). Each of these members brought with them a

different version of transcendentalism.

Transcendentalism was a philosophy that encouraged discussion of many topics including

religion, nature, and social issues such as labor, slavery and the state of society in general

(Delano 2004, Frothingham1959; Gura 2007). Transcendentalism in Europe was discussion

based and stayed within the University systems, while New Englanders took to the streets. The

Page 18: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

10

philosophy of transcendentalism was used to bring the labor movement and Abolition movement

into the public eye. (Frothingham 1959; Gura 2007). It became a way to bring about change, it

was an open forum that lead to many ideas, and many different actions were taken by different

people. By 1840, four years after the first meeting, the Transcendental Club was the home of

many different ideas about transcendentalism

There were several journals that contributed to the spread of ideas about

transcendentalism. The Boston Quarterly Review, established in 1837 by Orestus Brownson was

the first journal to come out of the movement. (Delano 2004; Frothingham 1959; Gura 2007;

Rose 1981). Contributors to the journal included the most prominent members in the

transcendental circle, such as Ripley, Emerson, and Fuller; although Brownson was the largest

contributor sometimes writing all the essays for one issue (Gura 2007). The Boston Quarterly

Review was not only a forum for transcendentalism; Brownson’s hope was that the journal would

provide “a reform in the church giving us a purer and more rational theology; in philosophy

seeking something profounder and more inspiring that the heartless sensualism of the last

century; [and] in society demanding the elevation of labor with the loco-foco, or freedom of the

slave with the abolitionist.”(Gura 2007: 128). The journal began to stray from transcendentalism

and there was a push for transcendentalism focused journal. The Dial was created by Margaret

Fuller and Ralph Waldo Emerson in July of 1840 and was fully committed to transcendentalism

(Delano 2004; Gura 2007). This journal was well received but was never as popular as The

Boston Quarterly Review and by 1844 it was out of publication.

Transcendentalism had many flavors and all the members tried to support each other

although they disagreed on many things. The two extremes of transcendentalism are evident in

the different endeavors of George Ripley and Ralph Waldo Emerson (Delano 2004; Gura 2007).

Page 19: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

11

George Ripley by 1840 had begun thinking about creating the communal society of Brook Farm.

Emerson refused the idea of communal transcendentalism and began seeing it as an individual

endeavor. Although their paths were different both men had the same goal, a greater connection

between nature and man (Gura 2007). Ripley’s experimental society was the largest endeavor

that the transcendental community had seen, but most of the prominent names in

transcendentalism did not join the community even though he urged and consulted all his fellow

transcendentalists often about the project. Bronson Alcott eventually started his own society,

Margaret Fuller became a prominent feminist, along with Elizabeth Peabody, and Orestus

Brownson became a labor activist (Delano 2004).

The variety of transcendental thought and the ability for this group to continue discussion

even though they disagreed about vital principals was a hallmark of its open-mindedness. There

was much to debate with all the changes occurring in the nation. As transcendentalism went on

through the years the member’s interests grew further apart. The emerging labor and Abolition

movements were becoming the main focus of some of the members. For some transcendentalists

the industrial revolution brought an urge to return to a more natural state. This was what George

Ripley was concerned with, and was one goal of his experiment at Brook Farm.

Transcendentalism explored vaguely all these themes and tried to remain open minded about all

view-points.

The Civil War began in 1861 and the educated debate created by transcendentalism was

overshadowed by the war. (Delano 2004). The one transcendental societal experiment, Brook

Farm was even turned into a Civil War training camp, Camp Andrew.

Page 20: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

12

Fourierism

Fourierism was a true utopian movement that occurred in America. Fourierism promoted

the idea of creating a completely new society within the old one (Delano 2004; Guarneri 1985;

1991). It was brought to America in the 1840s and soon there were Fourierist communities all

over the country (Guarneri 1991, Haraszti 1937). This utopian movement, like

transcendentalism, came from Europe, specifically from France.

Fourierism began in France with a French philosopher named Charles Fourier (Figure 1).

After witnessing the French Revolution he became increasingly frustrated with poverty

(Guarneri 1997). The misery of the French people, combined with his own misery after the war,

led him to believe, “an entire economic system based on the anarchy of free competition was

wrong.” (Guarneri 1991:1). Fourier began to immerse himself in creating a new society that

would allow the working man to be the center of the society. Fourier had many different jobs

throughout his life and every new experience increased his desire to reform society. Fourier

wanted to “recapture the abundance and innocence of Eden” that was lost in the capitalist

economy (Guarneri 1991: 16). Fourierism and the societies it produced, called Phalanxes, did not

dismiss the growing industrialization, unlike many utopian societies emerging at the time.

(Guarneri 1991).

Page 21: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

13

Fourier believed that there were 32 phases of human evolution spanning 80,000 years that

started with the biblical Eden. There was Edenism, Savagery, Patriarchate, Barbarianism, and

Civilization followed by the Harmony stage, to name a few, after which society would begin to

deteriorate (Guarneri 1991). Fourier focused on the current stage Civilization and the later

Harmony stage. There is not much discussion about what occurs after the Harmony stage.

Fourier only proclaimed that after the Harmony stage the world would be brought into chaos

(Delano 2004; Guarneri 1991). These stages were based on the position of women; the current

Civilization Stage had women in monogamy based servitude. The Harmony stage was the best

stage of evolution and it would last 60,000 years. This stage was defined by women free of

servitude and free love would reign (Guarneri 1991 and Delano 2004).

Figure 1. Charles Fourier.

Page 22: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

14

The other aspect of Fourier’s theory that pushed the evolution of society were his

passions. All the passions would be fully expressed in the Harmony stage of the evolution. There

are twelve passions put into three passion groups: the luxurious passions, the five senses: sight,

taste, smell, touch, and hearing; the affective passions, social needs: friendship, love, ambition,

and familism.; and the distributive passions, which regulate the other passions, the cabalist

(intrigue) passion, the butterfly (variety), and the composite passion: “the pure enthusiasm that

came from a mixture of physical and spiritual pleasures” (Preucel and Pendery 2006). All the

passions would reign in the Harmony stage in Fourier’s evolution of the world (Guarneri 1985,

1991). Fourier believed that in the Civilization stage the distributive passions were being

neglected. His Phalanxes would allow the world to develop these passions and allow a quick

transition to the Harmony stage.

All Phalanxes were situated no more than one days travel from a major city, The

proximity to a city was to ensure a place to sell their products and thus have a profitable

community (Guarneri 1985, 1991). This community is where the Harmony stage would develop.

Fourier’s phalanx would have one large building in the society called the Phalanstery and the

entire community would live in the building, divided by their passions. Each society would

ideally be made of 1,620 people, twice the number of passional personality types (810) (Francis

1997; Guarneri 1991; Preucel and Pendery 2006). The work in the community would also be

assigned based on one’s passion. The passions would allow each member of the Phalanx to be

able to pursue work they enjoyed. Each member of the Phalanx would be paid based on the job

they performed, jobs requiring more labor had a higher pay (Delano 2004; Guarneri 1991). Each

member would be participating in the community, with room and board provided. Fourier had

very strict numbers for his phalanx and theory, a certain number of members and passions, and

Page 23: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

15

distance from cities, he tried to solve human issues using mathematics and envisioned himself as

the Newton of philosophy (Guarneri 1991).

In his most extreme theories Fourier foresaw over two million communities around the

world. He “predicted that diseased would no longer ravage the population, humans would live

144 years, and Siberians would enjoy an Italian climate, new species of docile animals such as

‘anti-lions’ would help Harmonians cultivate the globe and humans would develop long and

“infinitely useful tails” (Guarneri- 1991: 19). The idea of global harmony and peaceful animals is

intriguing though these ideas were not emphasized to the public, Fourier’s followers decided to

focus on stronger issues, such as the social reformation and rehabilitation that the Phalanx

provided the people (Guarneri 1991).

Charles Fourier spent his life advocating his ideal society but not until late in his life did

his philosophy begin to circulate and gain attention. Two events allowed Fourierism to become

known, first the publication of journals and essays became a prominent way to disseminate

information in France. The new French constitutional monarchy began to allow more freedom in

the press (Delano 2004; Guarneri 1985, 1991). The second event was the dissolution of the

Saint-Simonians church that was based on a rival philosopher (Delano 2004; Guarneri 1985,

1991; Preucel and Pendery 2006).

Fourier’s rival was count Henri de Saint-Simon, who created the Saint-Simonians with

the following of young liberal university students. In 1829 an official Saint-Simonians church

that preached selflessness and romantic ideal was created in France (Guarneri 1991). The Saint-

Simonians' religion soon spread throughout France, Germany, Russia, Belgium, and even to

America (Guarneri 1991). The principles of the Saint-Simonians went along with current

dissatisfactions with industrialization and class separation that were increasing throughout

Page 24: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

16

Europe and America. The Saint-Simonians' church did not last long and by 1831 the sect in

France crumbled, which was very good for Fourier (Guarneri 1991). Fourier had always

condemned the Saint-Simonians for stealing his philosophical ideas and after its disintegration

some of those former Saint-Simonians started to read and then follow Fourier (Guarneri 1991).

The young ambitious followers of Fourier began to disseminate his philosophies to a

wide range of publics. Although Fourier planned and described a perfect society he was not able

to create an experimental Phalanx for himself. He had one chance but the construction was

stopped due to lack of funds. After this episode Fourier began to dismiss the idea of starting a

Phalanx of his own (Guarneri 1991).

The American disciple of Fourier was Albert Brisbane (Figure 2), a young New Yorker

that spent his early adult life travelling through Europe. Brisbane studied at many universities

Figure 2. Albert Brisbane.

Page 25: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

17

and under many philosophers both religious and not, trying to find himself and something he

could bring himself to follow (Guarneri 1991). Brisbane heard about Fourierism through the

Saint-Simonians channels and tracked down Fourier in order to learn everything he could. He

began to take lessons one on one with Fourier for five francs an hour in 1832 (Guarneri 1985;

1991). By 1834 Brisbane believed he had learned everything he could learn from Fourier and

decided to bring Fourierism to America (Delano 2004; Guarneri 1991).

Once in America Brisbane began to work on a book called The Social Destinies of Man a

compilation of his translations of Fourier and his own ideas on Fourierism. In order to fit with

American life some aspects were emphasized more than others (Guarneri 1985). For example,

the composite passion, “the pure enthusiasm that came from a mixture of physical and spiritual

pleasure” basically free love, would not have sat well with the religious Americans (Guarneri

1991: 18). American’s embraced Fourierism and. numerous Phalanxes began to arise in

American but not one of them was what Fourier himself would have considered ideal (Guarneri

1991; Haraszti 1937). American’s took the ideas they liked about Fourierism and left out the

parts they did not, making a distinctly American Fourierism. (Delano 2004; Guarneri 1991).

These communities lasted anywhere from a few years to as long as 20 years, but eventually they

all failed.

Conclusion

The time leading up to the creation of Brook Farm was a hectic period, opened the minds

of the American people to social change. The Panic of 1837 was an economic crisis that put

many people into the streets. These economic issues combined with the Abolition movement and

labor movements of time left the public open to social change (Delano 2004). These issues

affected the everyday man, and educated men began reading the philosophy from Europe in

Page 26: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

18

order to find inspiration as to how to change the troubled society. The more educated began to

discuss these troubles among themselves and with the affected public.

Transcendentalism and Fourierism were brought to the United States and welcomed by

the distressed public. There were many societies established throughout America during the

1830s to 1840s. These societies were functioning for a short while and provided relief to the

people that joined. These newly formed societies did little to stop the impending war, and in

1861 the Civil War broke out. This war brought focus to other issues and after the war, for the

majority of the nation, transcendentalism and Fourierism were forgotten.

Page 27: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

19

CHAPTER THREE

BROOK FARM HISTORY

Introduction

This chapter will discuss the history of the Brook Farm community from its beginning in

1841 to its ending in 1847. This discussion will focus on how the ideologies of Brook Farm were

constantly evolving, changing from transcendentalism to Fourierism. The troubles that faced

Brook Farm were always being overshadowed by the happiness that was a constant aspect of

every member’s life. There are many memoirs and histories that have been written, beginning

almost immediately after it’s disbanding that aid this discussion. These numerous memoirs have

been written by those who lived at Brook Farm and those accounts allow for a unique insight

into the day to day life of the farm. Brook Farm is a unique case study that expressed the changes

and social reform experiments that were occurring throughout the nation during the 1840s.

Figure 3. George Ripley.

Page 28: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

20

The Beginning of a Utopia

The founder of Brook Farm was a man named George Ripley (Figure 3), a Unitarian

minister from Boston Massachusetts. George Ripley and his wife Sophia first thought of the

Brook Farm community while they were on their yearly vacation (Delano 2004). In 1840 the

Ripley’s happened to take their yearly vacation at the Ellis Dairy Farm in West Roxbury. While

at the Ellis Dairy Farm George Ripley found his own Eden among the babbling brook, the

singing birds and the peaceful fields (Burton 1939; Delano 2004). After their vacation the

Ripley’s went to their friends at a meeting of the Transcendental Club with a plan, hoping to gain

support for their experiment. The plan was to build a community based on the philosophies of

transcendentalism that would reconnect man with nature (Burton 1939, Delano 2004).

.

Figure 4. Historic Map of Brook Farm.

Page 29: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

21

There was a mix of emotions from fellow transcendentalists, they were excited about the

idea of bringing transcendentalism one step further, but there were many questions and concerns

(Burton 1939; Delano 2004). There were concerns, largely from Elizabeth Peabody and Ralph

Waldo Emerson that the community would be communist because Brook Farm would be

communal eating, living, and learning (Burton 1939). The fear of communism was soon abated

by Ripley explaining his plans for the community, it was focused on nature, education, and living

simply, not changing the capitalist economy of New England. The focus of the community was

not a governmental coupe but rather bringing the members closer to nature, and to provide an

education of both literature and land. Ripley was looking for a certain audience, “[w]e may look

for an audience among the educated and refined- but also among the sweaty artisans. Our aim

shall be the elevation of the whole human race in mind, morals and manners. And the means

shall be orderly and progressive reform” (Burton 1939:35). Brook Farm was not based on

communism but rather it was a fully experimental transcendental community. Although there

was excitement by fellow transcendentalists they were not excited enough to join his community.

As discussed in the previous chapter there was a divide between what transcendentalism meant

to different people and how their goals were to be achieved. Ripley pursued the help of Ralph

Waldo Emerson and continually was given a negative response (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961;

Delano 2004). Emerson saw transcendentalism as an individual endeavor and he would not even

visit the community during its six years of establishment (Burton 1939; Delano 2004).

Transcendentalists were publically supportive but privately there were still concerns

about Ripley’s ability to create a social change. Margaret Fuller, a prominent figure of

transcendentalism and women’s rights, was publically supportive, but privately did not believe

he would be suited to lead a whole social reform movement, she stated that “His [Ripley’s] mind

Page 30: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

22

though that of a captain, is not that of a conquer.” (Curtis 1961:46). As a respected minister his

guidance was not questioned, but rather his ability to lead a radical new movement focused on

changing society.

The Experiment Begins

Ripley bought the 179 acre Ellis Farm in the winter of 1840, left his pulpit at Purchase

Street and began his experiment with his wife and a small group of members. The members

moved into the Ellis Farm house that was quickly renamed the Hive. The Hive was where the

members lived, ate, and taught. In 1841 the Brook Farm Institute of Agriculture and Education

was incorporated; often called many different names, The Community, Ripley’s Farm, Ripley’s

Experiment, and The Farm (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961; Delano 2004). It was an exciting

endeavor to those involved, but outsiders in Boston saw it as a strange community, ‘the farmers’,

as they were called, were essentially the hippies of their time (Burtons 1973; Delano 2004).

Figure 5. Painting depicting the layout of the Brook Farm Institute of Agriculture and

Education.

Page 31: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

23

Charles Dana, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Sophia Ripley were the only members of the

Transcendental Club that joined Brook Farm. There were several other members that joined the

farm immediately including a farmer from New Hampshire named William Brockway Allen.

Allen was formerly a farm hand for Theodore Parker, who heard of “Mr. Ripley’s social plan”

and decided to join (Curtis 1961:54). He was the only member with real farming experience and

immediately began to teach the other members how to farm. The members were enthusiastic to

learn their new tasks on the farm, working in the barns, and planting in the fields. Allen stayed at

Brook Farm for a year he enjoyed the work but did not understand the focus on philosophy and

teaching that the other members emphasized (Burton 1939,; Curtis 1961).

It took time and hard work but the members mastered how to work on the farm as they

got better at their tasks they became happier at the farm. Nathaniel Hawthorne was one such

farmer, he enjoyed using his hand and working the land, but only in the beginning (Burton 1939;

Delano 2004; Haraszti 1937). After a year he was miserable, he felt too tired to write after

finishing his chores for the day and grew continually frustrated with being part of Brook Farm

(Burton 1939; Delano 2004). Ripley and the other board members did not want Hawthorne to

leave and soon gave him the position of trustee in the Brook Farm corporation. This move kept

Hawthorn from suing Brook Farm for his $1000.00 worth of shares for a short time (Burton

1939; Curtis 1961,; Delano 2004). Hawthorne eventually left the community completely to live

happily with Sophia Peabody and write, his famous book The Blithedale Romance was based on

his time at Brook Farm (Burton 1 939; Curtis 1961; Delano 2004).

The beginning of Brook Farm was an optimistic venture, and all the members were ready

to take control of their new home. The member’s excitement for farm work and optimism for

their new transcendental experience was good for morale, but could not make the crops grow.

Page 32: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

24

Soon enough the harsh New England winter begin at Brook Farm, causing alarm throughout the

farm. The members worked hard throughout the summer but the first fall crop at Brook Farm

yielded little (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961; Delano 2004). There was just enough food for the

members to make it through, and in the spring there was a new optimism, and sense of urgency

to produce crops for the year. They had learned from their previous mistakes and they worked

harder. A new set of young eager members would be joining them in 1842 to provide much

needed help with the farm. The Brook Farm Institute for Agriculture and Education would

officially begin accepting students in the beginning of 1842 (Burton 1939).

The Brook Farm Institute for Agriculture and Education was a prominent boarding school

in New England and all around the US during its six years (Burton 1939; Codman 1894; Curtis

1961; Preucel and Pendery 2006). Ripley’s connection with Harvard made it easy for students to

go from Brook Farm to the university. This boarding school was both for members and for those

families who wanted their children to have a unique and well-rounded education. From the

opening in 1842 the school was the pride of the community and there was a full staff of

professors with strict regulations for all students. “The infant school was for children under six;

the primary school, for children under ten; the preparatory school for pupils over ten years of

age” (Codman 1894:11). There were also two tracks for students to take, “[a] six years’ course

prepared a young man to enter college. A three years’ course in theoretical and practical

agriculture was also laid out.” and prepared the student for a productive life as a farmer (Codman

1894:11). No matter which track was taken by the student they were all required to “spend from

one to two hours daily in manual labor” (Codman 1894:11).

The labor requirement was for all student, but they could also perform extra duties to help

pay for room and board; much like the current work study programs. Students could perform

Page 33: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

25

extra labor duties, help in the kitchen, essentially anything that was needed around the farm

could be done and allow the less affluent students to remain at the prestigious school. The infant

school was essentially the first kindergarten in the United States, creating a unique learning

environment from a very young and impressionable age (Burton 1939, Delano 2004). The school

was the most profitable portion of the Brook Farm community. Although they did produce some

excess food, without the money from boarders the community may not have made it as long as it

did, as short a time as that was.

The original instructors were “George Ripley, Instructor in Intellectual and Natural

Philosophy and Mathematics; George P. Bradford Instructor in Belles Lettres; John S. Dwight

Instructor in Latin and Music; Charles A. Dana, Instructor in Greek and German; John S. Brown,

Instructor in Theosophical and Practical Agriculture; Sophia W. Ripley, Instructor in History and

Modern Languages; Marianne Ripley, Teacher of Primary School; Abigail Morton, Teacher of

Infant School; Georgiana Bruce, Teacher if Infant School; Hannah B. Ripley, Instructor in

Drawing” (Codman 1894:10). There was constant education from the classes being taught and

guest lecturers as visitors would come to Brook Farm. The guest that came and talked to Brook

Farmers were mostly those involved in the current social movements, Margaret Fuller would

come and discuss the current women’s rights issues and Orestus Brownson would come and

discuss the current labor issues and unionization that was occurring in the industrializing nation

(Burton 1939; Curtis 1961; Delano 2004).

Within the first year there was a flood of members that made it necessary to build

additional housing. First a building named the Eyrie was erected, and then there was the

affectionately named the Fuller Cottage, after Margaret Fuller (Burton 1939; Delano 2004;

Preucel and Pendery 2006). Both these buildings served dual purposes, boarding and teaching.

Page 34: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

26

These new buildings were essential to the growing Brook Farm. The Ripley’s moved up to the

Eyrie, with George Ripley’s extensive library. The Eyrie was located at the top of a highest hill

at Brook Farm, looking over the entire property (Delano 2004). The Cottage housed its

namesake, Margaret Fuller when she visited and was largely used for classroom purposes with

Charles Dana and older boarders residing there at the residence (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961;

Codman 1894; Delano 2006).

Fourierism

In 1840 Albert Brisbane returned to America from France and brought Fourierism with

him. He immediately began writing his book The Social Destinies of Man, which would become

the guide to Fourierism for America. He soon published the book and in 1841 Brisbane met with

Horace Greely the editor of the New York Times and the propaganda for Fourierism began

(Burton 1939; Curtis 1961; Delano 2004). Greely became a supporter of the movement and

allowed Brisbane to write editorials in the paper on the subject of Fourierism, and soon the

movement began to spread (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961; Delano 2004). By 1843 George Ripley

Figure 6. Map of Brook Farm Site.

Page 35: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

27

could not ignore Fourierism any longer and began to contemplate a change to the structure and

philosophy of Brook Farm (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961; Delano 2004).

George Ripley was not ignorant to the Fourierist movement before Brisbane reached

America, he was constantly reading about the philosophies and movements that were occurring

in Europe (Burton 1939). Ripley did not initially favor Fourierism when he began his

community, but Brisbane and Greely’s Americanization of Fourierism had Ripley becoming

more interested (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961; Delano 2004; Guarneri 1993; Preucel and Pendery

2006). As Ripley was becoming interested in Fourierism, Albert Brisbane was looking to start a

Phalanx in America that he could personally oversee and he set his sights on Brook Farm

(Burton 1939; Delano 2004).

The community was taking off in morale, all members were enthusiastic about their

education and the farming, although they were not producing any profits as of yet. By 1843 they

were looking for new ways to increase profit and keep from having to continually borrow credit

to keep their endeavor going (Burton 1939,; Delano 2006). Ripley began going to meetings

throughout New England to learn more about Fourierism. It was in 1843 that Ripley considered

Fourierism for the community and began to go to meetings and discussing the community with

Albert Brisbane ( Delano 2004). Brisbane became a frequent visitor to the farm in the summer of

1843 trying to convince Ripley and the board members to switch to Fourierism and make Brook

Farm a phalanx (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961; Delano 2004).

On December 26 and 27, 1843. The Convention of the Friends of Social Reform in New

England and elsewhere was held in Boston, Massachusetts (Curtis 1961). The convention was

held to spread awareness about the current communities that were beginning around New

England. It focused on Fourierism and the community plan that was part of Fourierism (Curtis

Page 36: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

28

1961). Fourierism was the only utopian theory and community that came with a solid plan of

how the community should be run, unlike many new societies that started with the people and

then developed a plan (Curtis 1961; Delano 2004; Guarneri 1991). Like Brook Farm, many

societies had some idea of how to begin the community, but largely let the community form and

deal with the changes and troubles as they came, and they did. The conference was the last step

in convincing his board members and the other members to make Brook Farm a Fourierist

community (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961; Delano 2004; Preucel and Pendery 2006).

In January of 1844 the board members of Brook Farm drafted articles of incorporation to

become the Brook Farm Phalanx, and in February the change was official (Burton 1939; Curtis

1961; Delano 2004; Preucel and Pendery 2006). Their new name came with a new building; in

the spring of 1844 the members began to build the Phalanstery (Burton 1939; Delano 2004). This

building would house all the members, some classrooms, and the kitchen. This building would

replace the Hive and all the other buildings used for dwelling, and thus free the buildings for

other uses, such as larger libraries or more classrooms.

The Decline of Brook Farm

The members had almost finished the Phalanstery in October of 1844 when catastrophe

struck at Brook Farm. The members were having supper in the Hive and celebrating because the

Phalanstery was just about finished, when one lone member came running up, saying that there

was a huge fire at the Phalanstery (Burton 1939; Curtis 1971; Delano 2004; Preucel and Pendery

2006). As the members rushed to see and try to stop the fire, they realized there was nothing they

could do. The fire had engulfed the Phalanstery, soon the building that had been the focus of

Brook Farm for months was no longer there (Codman 1894; Delano 2004). The fire bankrupted

Page 37: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

29

Brook Farm and there was no money left to rebuild the Phalanstery (Burton 1939; Curtis 1971;

Delano 2004). This was the first sign that the end of Brook Farm was nearing.

With this catastrophe, Albert Brisbane, formerly its greatest supporter and financier lost

interest in Brook Farm (Burton 1939). There was a new community for Brisbane to attend to,

The American Phalanx in New Jersey was his new project and Brisbane seemed to forget all

about Brook Farm. Brisbane had full control over all aspects of the the North American Phalanx

in New Jersey, although he had great influence at Brook Farm he did not have full control from

the beginning (Burton 1939). Brisbane seemed to have known that Brook Farm was declining

fast and needed to make sure Fourierism was seen as a success rather than a failure. Brisbane and

the funders he had that supported Fourierism were the only thing left keeping Brook Farm from

succumbing to their financial burdens (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961). With Brisbane gone there was

no money and Brook Farm already has so many loans taken out that no banks would provide

anymore credit (Burton 1939). The construction of the Phalanstery used the rest of Brook

Farm’s available funds.

In 1845 there was a small pox out break at Brook Farm, there were only two deaths, but

most of the members got sick (Burton 1939; Codman 1894; Delano 2004). There was a

quarantine enacted to protect the uninfected members, but it was continuously broken by

member wanting to help the sick (Burton 1939). After the small pox outbreak members began to

leave Brook Farm and by fall of 1846 Brook Farm would no longer exist.

Conclusion

When members began leaving Brook Farm most of them went on The North American

Phalanx in New Jersey (1843-1855) (Burton 1939). This phalanx was the pride and joy of Albert

Brisbane, and was his new focus, he had long since forgotten about Brook Farm and the new

Page 38: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

30

membership at the thriving Phalanx was welcomed. The Ripley’s moved away to New York

where Sophia taught and George remained on the speaking circuit (Burton 1939).

The land that was once Brook Farm was used for many different purposes once the

members left. The city of Roxbury bought the property and turned the buildings into an

Almshouse for poor children (1848-1855). It was then used as a Civil War Camp renamed Camp

Andrew in 1861.This camp was used for the duration of the war, but was again abandoned when

the war was over (Pendery and Preucel 2006). The Martin Luther King Jr. Orphanage was then

built and used “to provided a home and religious education for orphans” (1871-1943) (Pendery

and Preucel 2006: 7). Then in 1944 it became used for the Brook Farm Home for “the care and

treatment of disturbed youths” until 1948 (Pendery and Preucel 2006:7). Today it has become

what George Ripley originally saw it as, a serene place to become in tune with nature. It has

become a peaceful city park, with the babbling brook and trees throughout the property.

Page 39: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

31

CHAPTER FOUR

ARCHAEOLOGY OF UTOPIAN COMMUNITIES

Introduction

This chapter will discuss the archaeological approach to utopian societies. The goal of

this chapter is to provide a clear definition of utopia and provide a background into what the

current archaeological research focuses on. An extended discussion of the Theosophical Society

Dump site provides insight into the archaeological research and provides an example of similar

research that is being conducted in this thesis. The chapter will end with a discussion of where

Brook Farm falls into the utopian spectrum based on archaeological definitions.

What are Utopias and Why Do Archaeologists Study Them?

The word utopia was first used in the 1500s by Thomas More, and there are two words

with two meanings “either ‘good place’ (eu-topia) or ‘no-place’(u-topia)” (Tarlow 2002:299).

There is a division between how the term utopia is utilized by scholars, “theoretical utopistis”

(utopian literature and political philosophy) and “applied utopistics” (the foundation of

community and other experiments aimed at producing an ideal society.” (Tarlow 2002:300).

These experimental societies had “at least two fundamental precepts… first was a fundamental

dissatisfaction with some aspect of the dominant culture. The second ingredient was an idealistic

faith that a better way of life was possible.” (Van Bueren and Tarlow 2006:2). The numerous

communities created in the mid-1800s in America, including Brook Farm, wanted to create a

better life within the growing capitalist and industrializing society in America. Industrialization

and capitalism matched with the economic troubles of the time made the communities blossom,

and utopian was the word on everyone’s mouth. Emerson said “Not a man of us that did not have

a plan for some new Utopia in his pocket.” (Curtis 1961:41)

Page 40: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

32

None of the utopias that were created in the mid-nineteenth century survived the test of

time; all the utopian experiments failed. This failure was the first aspect of archaeological

inquiry. Why these communities ended and how the end came to be was the focus of much

research (Van Bueren and Tarlow 2006). The current research “can, and should focus more on

what they [utopian societies] can teach about ideological adaption, rather than why they fell

apart.” (Van Buren and Tarlow 2006:4).

There was an entire Historical Archaeology edition dedicated to utopian societies in

2006. The main theme of the journal was how the ideology of these communities is continually

being constructed and maintained. Ideology of these utopian cultures is reflected in their material

culture, their architecture, their burial, and their practices. All the articles discuss some aspect of

how utopian societies tried to keep their ideologies alive within the community; including

historical research based on memoirs and written histories of the communities. The material

culture studies included ceramics, glass, hardware, etc, along with studies of building

foundations (Preucel and Pendery 2006; Tarlow 2006;Van Wormer 2006). The interpretations

focus on how these communities formed, thrived and kept their members interest in their

societies. Spencer-Wood and Van Bueren contribute an article that discuss the interpretation

biases of the archaeologist and how the current political and personal biases affect the

interpretations of utopian communities. Archaeologists are studying utopian communities from

many different angles to answer as many questions as the utopian communities can answer.

Another article in Historical Archaeology discussed the Theosophical Society Dump site

in San Diego, California The Theosophical Society Dump site was excavated as part of a cultural

resource management project for the City of San Diego Water Utilities Department (Van

Wormer and Gross 2006). The dump, containing 4, 284 artifacts, was exclusively from the

Page 41: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

33

Theosophical Institute thus providing a great source of information about the Theosophical

Society. The artifacts found included all types, from ceramics, to household items, to bottles, to

children’s toys. The Theosophical Institute was an agricultural commune, a boarding school, and

an art colony (Van Wormer and Gross, 2006). This research is similar to the analysis that was

conducted on the ceramics of the Brook Farm site.

The Theosophical Society was founded in 1875 by a Russian Seeress Madame Helena

Petrivna Blavatsky and American attorney Henry Olcott. “Theosophy was defined as speculative

thought about God and the universe that arises through the study of the universal truths of

various religious schools including Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism (Van

Wormer and Gross, 2006:101). The Theosophical Society strove to “achieve a universal

brotherhood of man established through an ever-increasing awareness of the relationship

between the spirit of man and the universe.” (Van Wormer and Gross 2006:101). The society

soon gained traction and many smaller groups were formed throughout the world in the United

States, England, India, and other Asian Counties. When Madame Blavatsky died in 1891a power

struggle ensued, the result was the creation of a new group called the Theosophical Society of

America (Van Wormer and Gross 2006). Katherine Tingley was named head of the new society

in 1896 and soon purchased land on Point Loma to build a school.

The Theosophical Society Institute was located in Point Loma San Diego, California

and was the headquarters of the American Theosophical Society from 1897 to 1942 (Van

Wormer and Gross, 2006). The school started by Tingley was called the Theosophical School for

Revival of the Lost Mysteries of Antiquity, also known as the Raja Yoga School housed both

children and their parents, although there was little contact between the two groups (Van

Wormer and Gross 2006). “Tingley believed that children should be taught self-reliance, love

Page 42: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

34

for all people, altruism, mutual clarity , and, more than anything else, to think and reason for

themselves. In addition they should reject love of money, worldly position, social advancement,

success, personal stature, selfish aggrandizement, and worldly pleasures.” (Van Wormer and

Gross 2006:101). The school ages ranged from grade school to university and taught everything

from philosophy to agriculture. By 1913 the school was well established and had more than 500

members living and learning at the Theosophical School (Van Wormer and Gross, 2006).

In an effort to teach the children, parents were kept away from their children, Tingley

believed that “adults were incapable of raising their own offspring” (Van Wormer and Gross

2006:102). Parents were allowed one or two visits a month with their children, the rest of the

time children followed a heavily supervised schedule. The nutrition of the students and everyone

was also part of the school, there was little red meat, milk, eggs, and butter, instead the focus was

on cereals, fruits, vegetable, bread fish, and soup (Van Wormer and Gross 2006).

The school and commune thrived until the death of Katherine Tingley in 1929. The death

of the leader, with the financial disaster of the Great Depression in the 1930s proved too much

for the institute. The Raja Yoga School closed in 1940 and the property was sold in 1942 (Van

Wormer and Gross, 2006).

The analysis of the artifacts included a comparison of the assemblage with urban sites

and rural sites from California. The research objective and artifact analysis were based on a

consumer behavior theory (Van Wormer and Gross 2006). Consumption is one of the important

ways of signifying membership in a group, particularity in class, status, and ethnic groups, and is

therefore an important reflection of lifestyle. The study compared the Theosophical Society

Dump artifacts with rural sites and urban sites from San Diego from the same time period. The

Page 43: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

35

results were “the Theosophical Society dump exhibit[ed] a unique pattern indicative of the

lifestyle and callused of [its] inhabitants.” (Van Wormer and Gross 2006: 115). The study

showed that the artifacts found at the dump did not reflect the consumer choices of the urban

sites used for comparison, it was similar to the rural sites (Van Wormer and Gross 2006).

The study of the Theosophical Institute provides one case of how utopian societies are

being studied by archaeologists. The study reflects the need to understand what role these

communities played in society based on their artifacts. Comparing these sites to rural and urban

sites will show how they relate as well as separate themselves from all levels of society.

Is Brook Farm a Utopia?

Brook Farm was different from most of the communities that began in the1800s. In

America there were religious reasons for the majority of the communities, such as Fruitland and

Oneida (Holloway 1966). The goal of Brook Farm was to create a community where one’s

religion was not a factor in membership (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961). The goal in the beginning

was purely transcendental, knowledge combined with nature and connection to the earth. It was

not until Fourierism was accepted that the community developed to a more utopian goal (Burton

1939). Social change and spreading the word of a better society became part of the community’s

goals. The Harbinger was created and published by Brook Farm to spread Fourierist propaganda.

Brook Farm is a unique case because transcendentalism is not always considered a

utopian movement, although the creation of a community brings it to a new level. Van Buren and

Tarlow provide a definition, dissatisfaction with society and belief of a creating a better place

within society. When these two factors are considered Brook Farm is a utopian settlement from

the beginning when George Ripley started his transcendentalist community. Ripley created

Page 44: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

36

Brook Farm from a severe disappointment with the society and the belief that he could create a

better community with Brook Farm (Burtons 1939, Delano 2004). Brook Farm is clearly an

“applied utopistic” community (Tarlow 2002).

Page 45: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

37

CHAPTER FIVE

THOERY AND METHODS

Introduction

This chapter begin with a discussion of the theory that guided this research and the

methods used to answer the questions. The theory of consumer choice in archaeology focuses on

material culture, in the case of this project, ceramics. The consumer choice model focuses on

which ceramics were chosen by a person or group of people and then tries to explain why they

were chosen (Spencer-Woods1987). The consumer choice model focuses on what ceramics

where available, economic status, and how the ideologies influenced the ceramic choices of the

Brook Farm members. There were two areas from Brook Farm, Cottage and the Eyrie, the

Tremont Street Housing Site, a non- utopian settlement. The methods section will discuss the

database created to collect the data needed for analysis and the statistical measures used to

analyze the data.

Theory of Consumer Choice

Consumer choice was the theory used to guide the methods used to answer the questions

and interpret the results. The people of Brook Farm had a certain set of ideals, such as social

equality and intellectual freedom. Although the members wished to remain separate from society

they were not self sufficient and needed to be part of the market for good such as ceramics.

Ceramics were not produced by the members of Brook Farm so they were an item that was

purchased from the outside society. The ideals that Brook Farm represented, according to

consumer choice, should be reflected in their purchases (Mullins 2011, Spencer-Woods 1987).

Consumer choices is a “continuous process through which people simultaneously impose

meaning on and read meaning from material culture, and by extension the rest of their

Page 46: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

38

surrounding material and social world” (Purser 1992: 105). It is hypothesized that the ideals

supported by Brook Farm, such as equality, simplicity, and a focus on the community, would

affect the consumer behavior of the group (Spencer-Wood 1987).

The consumer choice theory focuses on units, such as households. Since Brook Farmers

ideally had the same beliefs the Cottage and Eyrie can be analyzed as units. These units can later

be combined to create on Brook Farm assemblage because the beliefs of the residences are the

same (Spencer-Wood 1987). The Brook Farm ideals also may have affected their choice of

ceramic; they may have decided to purchase undecorated ceramics or ceramics with simple

decorations to support their ideals through their consumer choice. This research will focus on

table wares, such as plates, cups and bowls because items used to produce food were largely

utilitarian and were similar across society. The comparison between Brook Farm and the

Tremont Street Housing Site will determine if the consumer choice of Brook Farm as a large

community with utopian ideals was different than those of the urban working class Tremont

Street Housing site.

Consumer choice will also help provide a theoretical foundation to understand the intra-

site comparison of Brook Farm. The Cottage and the Eyrie had similar uses but housed different

people. The Eyrie was the home of Sophia and George Ripley and, their guests, as well as the

Brook Farm library and piano lessons. The Cottage was the home of older school boarders and

regular guests that did not permanently live at Brook Farm (Burton 1939; Codman 1961; Curtis

1961; Delano 2004). These slightly different uses may be visible in the archaeological record.

Consumer choice can help explain why the ceramics may be different between the two buildings,

the different ceramics brought in from the members.

Page 47: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

39

Consumer choice studies often include a price-scaling analysis to determine economic

differences (Spencer Wood 1987). The large fragmentation of the Brook Farm site makes this

nearly impossible. Unfortunately there is no way to determine the vessel type, such as saucer,

plate, teacup etc, because of the high fragmentation of the ceramic assemblage. The consumer

choice theory provides a great starting point for this research because the questions are basic and

open ended. There has been little analysis of the artifacts of the Brook Farm site, and this

research is just a starting point for further analysis. This analysis answers some questions, while

likely creating many more questions for future research.

Questions

The following section will discuss the questions guiding this research. There are three

main questions that are the focus of this research.

What ceramics were the people of Brook Farm using?

What was there at Brook Farm, what is left? The ceramics at Brook Farm can provide

information about the types of people that were becoming members. Did they bring their own

ceramics or were they supplied by the community? These are residential areas, will it reflect a

unique assemblage that may be formed by multiple individuals bringing their own ceramics.

How does the Cottage assemblage compare to the Eyrie assemblage?

These are two building occupied and used for similar purposes, education and boarding.

Were there different ceramics at each building? Did the people who were using these buildings

bringing in their own ceramics thus reflecting the different background of the members?

How does this assemblage compare to non-utopian assemblages? Is the Brook Farm

assemblage different from a non-utopian site of the same time period?

Page 48: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

40

The utopian society of Brook Farm was set apart from the rest of the Boston area. Will

the comparison of the Brook Farm site assemblage with the Tremont Street Housing site reveal a

difference? Does the utopian site reflect simple ideals while the non-utopian site reveal a more

divers assemblage?

Research Sites

Brook Farm

The first step was to read the report approved by the Massachusetts Historical

Commission and written by Steven Pendery in 1991 for a field school, conducted at Brook Farm.

There were three more field schools at Brook Farm but there have been no reports published.

This report provided references to begin researching more in depth the Brook Farm history.

Every available memoir and book about Brook Farm, transcendentalism, and Fourierism was

collected to gain full knowledge as to what was happening in Boston in 1840 as well as in the

United States in general. This research proved to be most interesting, as memoirs revealed stories

from many different viewpoints. One thing was missing from all the memoirs and histories and

letter, a material culture analysis of Brook Farm. The letters and memoirs are full of information

about the people, and provide a great social background but no information as to what ceramics

or other material culture was being used by the Brook Farmers.

The assemblage used for the analysis of the Brook Farm site was collected between 1990

and 1994 by Robert Preucel and Steven Pendery. From 1990 to 1994 the two professors held a

field school at the Brook Farm site with the support of the University of Massachusetts Amherst

and Harvard University (Preucel and Pendery 2006). These field schools focused on locating the

numerous buildings that had been built for Brook Farm as well as the buildings built after Brook

Farm ended (Pendery 1991; Preucel and Pendery 2006).

Page 49: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

41

The focus of their research was different from the focus of this research. Preucel and

Pendery focused on the landscape and how it had changed, thus foundations were the primary

focus of their excavation units (Pendery 1991; Preucel and Pendery 2006). Preucel and Pendery

collected everything that was found and there were many ceramics collected throughout the five

years of testing at Brook Farm. There was even a privy feature as part of the Eyrie excavations

(Pendery 1991). The ceramics were numerous and provide a large assemblage for analysis. There

is no excavation map that remains of the Brook Farm excavations outside of the Hive/Martin

Luther King Jr. Orphanage building. Figure 7 shows the first transects excavated for the Eyrie.

The fragmentation of the site could be caused by the continued use of the site through the

years. The fragmented ceramic sherds could also indicate that the ceramics were coming in and

Figure 7. The only map of transects for the Eyrie.

Page 50: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

42

out with members, whole vessels would have been taken out when members left. The broken

ceramics would have stayed and been further fragmented by the continued use of the site

throughout the century.

After reviewing the units, maps and artifact concentrations it was necessary to determine

what areas and unit would be used for analysis. It was at first thought that the Hive building

would be the perfect way to determine the material culture. The Hive was the main building,

where the kitchen was and everyone ate. After contacting Robert Preucel it was determined that

the Hive was not viable because that portion of the site was mostly fill; and disturbed from the

construction of the Martin Luther king Jr. Building, an orphanage built by adding onto the Hive

(Personal Correspondence 2012).After excluding the Hive two more buildings were chosen that

best represented Brook Farm, the Eyrie and the Cottage. These two buildings had the most

ceramics collected from the excavation and were also residences for members and guests (Burton

1939; Delano 2004; Preucel and Pendery 2006).

The Eyrie was built on the spring of 1842 to add boarding room for new members

(Burton 1939; Delano 2004; Preucel and Pendery 2006). The Eyrie assemblage is ideal from an

archaeological research stand point, because it was only used during the Brook Farm time period

(1841-1847) (Pendery 1991). This meant, all the artifacts would be coming from the Brook Farm

period. Thus this area would provide information twofold, one it would provide a diachronic

look at Brook Farm and it could set norm for analysis such as Mean Ceramic Dating (MCD).

The Cottage was chosen because it contained the most ceramics in the inventory. The

Cottage was built in the first year of Brook Farm to accommodate new members and used after

the Brook Farm utopian period, until the 1985 when it burned down (Burtons 1939; Delano

Page 51: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

43

2004; Pendery 1991; Preucel and Pendery2006). The collection from this area has been mixed

but the earliest artifacts, ideally, must be from the Brook Farm utopian period.

Tremont Street Housing Site

For the comparison from a non-utopian site the Tremont Street Housing site in West

Roxbury Massachusetts was used. The Tremont Street Housing Site was excavated a Phase II

and Phase III archaeological recovery (Charles and Openo 1987). There was a Massachusetts

Transit Facility being put in where the site was and there was no way to adjust the route to avoid

the site. (Charles and Openo 1987). The ceramic analysis was conducted by the Afro American

Museum and supervised by Sheila Charles. This site was chosen for comparison because the

time periods were similar to Brook Farm, Tremont Street dates from 1840 to 1880 (Charles and

Brook Farm Site

Tremont Street

Housing site

Figure 8. USGS topographic map showing location of Brook Farm site and Tremont Housing

Street site.

Page 52: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

44

Openo 1987). It is located in the Boston area, and though there are several families providing

deposits in the features, there is nothing utopian about them.

The Tremont Street Housing site is actually composed of several homes on Tremont

Street in Roxbury Massachusetts. The original landowner was John Heath who owned a fifty

four acre farm, known as the Heath farm (Charles and Openo 1987). The Heath farm was

subdivided and sold and resold beginning in 1844. An array of new land owners moved into the

lots. This Tremont Street development was filled with working class, carpenter, painters, and

builders. These residences had no part in the utopian movement and provide a look at the

working class of Boston in the mid to late 1800s.

Database

For this research only ceramics were used for analysis. For the two areas that were

chosen ceramics made the majority of the collection. The glass was not a reliable artifact for this

analysis. There was a lot of it, but there is little that could be found from it because the pieces

were so small color would have been the only category for analysis. There needs to be more than

one factor of analysis for a reliable result. The architectural artifacts would not have answered

any of the questions about consumer choice. The majority of the building materials are not in any

condition to be analyzed. Unfortunately, like with many collections, there has been nothing done

to curate the artifacts since the field schools in the early 1990s. The metal was rusted and

disintegrating and it was difficult to tell what the artifacts used to be. The ceramics were the only

artifacts that were left that were intact enough for analysis.

There was already an inventory created for the Brook Farm site, but it was incomplete.

The information was not as detailed as needed for this research, and it did not contain all the

areas, or all the field school data, there were large gaps. As part of this research it was

Page 53: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

45

determined that going through the assemblage and creating a new database would be essential.

This would also help the Boston Archaeology Lab because it was needed to be put into a new

database for their purposes of creating an electronic catalogue of every artifact in the lab. The

Massachusetts Artifact Tracking System (MATS) was used to create my own database. The

MATS is a Microsoft Access database format. The MATS database format was used to create a

database for each for Brook Farm area. These databases were easily merged for comparative

analysis. The information collected was:

Provenience: location of the items. North and West designations were used for units with

stratigraphic placement and levels of each of ceramic recorded.

Ware Type: The ceramic were divided into ware type categories whiteware, pearl ware,

yellowware, cream ware, ironstone, stoneware, red ware, and porcelain.

Part of Vessel and Vessel Type: The ceramics were further divided by rim, base, or body. They

were divided more specifically when possible into categories such as spout, foot ring etc. There

was an option for vessel type, this category was not used often because vessel type was often

unknown due to sherd fragmentation. The majority of the ceramics were undecorated body

sherds.

Decoration: The ceramics where then divided by decoration type, plain, transfer print, sponge,

hand painted, decal, molded, mocha, stenciled, slipped, flow blue, luster, and annular. The colors

on each decoration and what design was used on the sherd were also collected. The type of

decoration was determined to the best of the researchers’ ability, to best date the assemblage.

The small size of the majority of the sherds made it difficult to designate a specific design for

identification.

Page 54: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

46

Dates of Manufacture: For dating purposes the dates of each sherd were found in order to best

calculate mean ceramic dates for each level and the assemblage as a whole. The dates were

manufacturing dates, based in the ware type, colors and designs.

Comments: The comments section was used to add to the data collections that may have not been

available on the database format. The comments allowed the researcher to add specifics such as

names of ceramics and most importantly the crossmends of the ceramics. This section provided

the ability to further understand how levels and units were connected based on which ceramics

where refit later in the lab.

Analysis

A comparative intra and inter-site analysis was conducted. The Eyrie and Cottage, both

from Brook Farm, were compared then Brook Farm as a whole (combining the Eyrie and

Cottage assemblages) was compared to the Tremont Street Housing site. The analysis of Brook

Farm with the non-utopian Boston site was based on the database created by the researcher and

the database in the reports created the Tremont Street housing site. The vessel counts and sherd

counts were compared using the chi- square test to determine if there was a significant difference

between the sites.

A qualitative method was used to determine Minimum Number of Vessels (MNV), to

gain the most accurate count (Voss and Allen 2010). The minimum vessel count for each site

was found using ware type, decoration and rim and base sherds (Voss and Allen 2010). Ware

type was used before rim and base because if there is one body sherd of a ware type there was at

least one vessel. For example although there were only body sherds for the Rockingham ware

type, Rockingham was determined to have at least one vessel present. The rims and bases were

used to develop a vessel count, plain rims and bases were match, with the idea that they may

Page 55: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

47

have come from the same vessel. Distinct designs and patterns on rims and/or bases were

designated as its own vessel. This maintained the most accurate vessel count possible.

The Microsoft Access database provided a way to filter the sherds by rim and bases then

by ware type, then decoration. The database was built understanding that there would likely be

cross mending and splitting the ceramics into the most specific groups possible. The decoration,

shape, ware type, then it is assumed that the utopian ideals of Brook Farm would cause the

ceramics to be simple, as part of the simple life that was the focus of Brook Farm everyday life.

The people at the Tremont Street Housing site likely had different ideals than those at Brook

Farm, thus is may be reflected in the ceramics assemblage.

The chi-square test was used determines if the factors being compared are independent or

dependent on each other. The chi-square will test if the ceramics found at each site are

independent of where they came from or if there is a significant dependence on where they came

from. The chi-square test will determine if the differences seen in the initial comparison of

percentages of ceramics at each site is significant. The significance of these differences will help

to determine if the ideals of Brook farm can be interpreted through the ceramics as well as their

historic documents.

Conclusion

These methods and theory guided the ceramic analysis of the Brook Farm site and the

Tremont Street Housing site. This analysis is preliminary, necessarily so because the lack of

previous analysis. The Consumer Choice models allow for interpretations based on the different

ideals that are reflected in the Brook Farm community compared the urban Tremont Street

Housing site.

Page 56: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

48

CHAPTER SIX

ANALYSIS

Introduction

The ceramic analysis compares two areas from Brook Farm, the Cottage and the Eyrie,

and the Tremont Street Housing site. The Cottage and Eyrie were the most intact areas and

provided the best source of information for understanding the ceramic use at Brook Farm. This

analysis focuses on ware types of ceramics, decoration of the ceramics, and amounts of each

ceramic type at Brook Farm compared to the Tremont Street Housing Site. This analysis uses

Mean Ceramic Dating (Miller 2000) in order establish whether the areas are associated with the

Brook Farm. A comparison of ceramic vessel and sherd based on ceramic ware type conducted

and significance is tested using the chi-square test.

Mean Ceramic Date

The Cottage was built in 1842 to accommodate the growing membership and stood until

1985 when it burned down (Burton 1939; Curtis 1961; Delano 2004). The ceramic assemblage

contained a total of 790 ceramics, the majority of which were whiteware. In order to date each

level mean ceramic dating methods were used along with other datable artifacts.

All the units and levels shown in Table 1 were used for analysis. These units and levels fit

into a reasonable date for when the Cottage was being used by the Brook Farmers. Redware was

not considered in the MCD because it has such a long manufacturing date range that it would

have skewed the mean ceramic dates (Miller 2000). In this table there are a majority of post-

1847 dates, yet given the time range of whiteware this is normal. Whiteware becomes popular in

1820s and begins to replace pearlware as the most common ceramic used (Miller 200). The

Page 57: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

49

mean date for whiteware is 1860, and this date was acceptable to this research as being part of

the Brook Farm time frame.

Cottage Mean Ceramic Date by Unit and Level

Unit Level Mean Ceramic Date

N0 W0 Str. 1 Lev. 4 1807

N0W5 Str. 2 Lev. 1 1855

N0W5 Str. 3 Lev. 1 1854

N0W10 Str. 3 Lev. 1 1859

N0 W15 Str. 2 Lev 1 1825

N0 W15 Str. 3 Lev. 1 1857

N0 W15 Str. 3 Lev. 2 1860

S10 W15 1805

S10 W15 Str. 1 Lev. 1 1860

S10 W15 Str. 4 lev. 1 1860

S10 W15 Str.4. Lev. 2 1811

S10 W15 Str.5 Lev. 1 1859

S15 W0 Str. 2 Lev. 1 1860

S20 W5 Str. 1 Lev. 3 1847

S20 W5 Str. 2 Lev. 2 1860

S20 W5 1813

S5 W0 Str. 1 Lev. 2 1860

S5 W0 Str. 1 Lev. 3 1846

S5 W0 Str. 2 Lev. 2 1818

S5 W10 Str. 2 Lev. 2 1838

Test Pit 1 Str. 1 Lev. 2 1793

Test Pit 1 Str. 2 Lev. 1 1860

Test Pit 2 Str. 1 Lev. 1 1793

Test Pit 2 Str. 1 Lev 2 1861

Test Pit 2 Str. 1 Lev. 3 1860

MEAN CERAMIC DATE 1847

The Eyrie was only used during the Brook Farm period (1841-1847). The Eyrie, like the

Cottage was built in 1842 to accommodate the growing membership (Burton 1939, Curtis 1961,

Delano 2004, Pendery 1991). The Ripley’s resided in the Eyrie along with the Brook Farm

library and some boarders (Burton 1939; Curtis 19611; Delano 2004; Pendery 1991). Table 2

shows the mean ceramic dates for each unit and level for the Eyrie. There were two units not

used for analysis, these units were excluded because they contained ironstone, a ceramic whose

Table 1. Mean Ceramic Dates for each unit and level in the Cottage.

Page 58: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

50

manufacturing dates that make it unrealistic to be part of the Brook Farm assemblage. One

ironstone dish had a makers mark from the J and G Meakin Hanley Co. which was not founded

until 1851 (Pendery1991). This contamination of the Eyrie is most likely part of the later usage

of the Brook Farm grounds.

The mean ceramic date for the Eyrie is 1857, which does not fall into the Brook Farm

time period. This likely is because the large amount of undecorated whiteware and yellowware

make the dates later because they have long manufacturing spans (Miller 200).

Eyrie Mean Ceramic Date By Unit and Level

Unit Level Mean Ceramic Date

N0 W10 Str.1 Lev 1 1860

N0 W20 Str. 1 Lev. 1 1860

N0 W20 Str. 1 Lev. 2 1860

N0 W20 Str. 1 Lev. 3 1858

N0 W25 Str. 2 Lev. 2 1860

N0 W25 Str. 3 Lev. 1 1860

N0 W30 Str. 2 Lev. 1 1853

N1 W14 Lev. 1 1823

N1 W14 Lev. 2 1805

N1 W14 Str. 1 Lev. 1 1805

N1 W14 Str. 1 Lev. 2 1805

N1 W14 Str. 1 Lev. 3 1813

S1 W11 Str. 2 Lev. 1 1865

S1 W17 Str. 1 Lev. 4 1860

S1 W 17 Str. 1 Lev. 15 1860

S1 W17 Str. 1 Lev. 4/5 1860

S1 W17 Str. 2 Lev. 1 1860

S1 W17 Str. 2 Lev. 2 1863

S1 W17 Str. 2 Lev 3 1863

MEAN CERAMIC DATE 1857

Table 2. Mean Ceramic Date if the Eyrie.

Page 59: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

51

Ceramic Analysis

The Cottage had a total of 790 ceramics. The majority (76%) of ceramic sherds were

whiteware (Figure 9). This is consistent with the popularity of whiteware in the mid-1800s. It

began taking over pearlware in the 1820s and would have been the most available ceramics for

the Brook Farmers to purchase because it was abundant and inexpensive (Miller 2000).

Unidentifiable ceramic sherds consisted of 36 sherds or 5% of the total ceramics assemblage.

The unidentifiable sherds were excluded from analysis because there is no way to know their

ware type beyond refined earthenware. The total of analyzed artifacts from the Cottage was 754.

Figure 9 shows the ceramic percentages of analyzed sherds (754) by ceramic ware type for the

Cottage assemblage.

Redware3%

Creamware10%

Yellowware1%

Pearlware9%

Whiteware76%

Porcelain1%

Cottage Ceramics by Ware Type

Figure 9. Graph showing percentages of ceramics in the Cottage assemblage.

Page 60: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

52

The Eyrie had a total 471 ceramics in the assemblage. The majority of the ceramics were

whiteware (62%) followed by yellowware (31%). (Figure 10) These two ceramics show the

popularity of both these wares in the 1840s as Brook Farm was existing. Both whiteware and

yellowware began in the 1820s. There were 21 sherds that were not able to be used within

analysis beyond this point.

Whiteware was the most abundant artifact in the Eyrie(62%) and in the Cottage (76%) .

This amount of whiteware provided an opportunity for further analysis of decoration. The

decoration of whiteware was then assessed using the same methods as above, creating a

percentage of each. The Eyrie had 96% undecorated whiteware, with annular decoration, flow

Redware1%

Yellowware31%

Pearlware5%

Whiteware62%

Stoneware1%

Unidentified2%

EYRIE: Ceramics By Ware Type

Figure 10. Percentages of ceramic ware type in Eyrie assemblage.

Page 61: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

53

Annular

1%

Undecorated

96%

Transfer Print

2%

Sponge

Decoration

1%

Eyrie: Whiteware Decoration

blue decoration, hand-painted decoration, sponge decoration, and transfer printed decoration

making the other 4% (Figure 11).

The Cottage showed similar traits, 87% undecorated whiteware, with annular decoration,

sponge decoration, transferprint decoration, hand-painted, and luster decoration make up the

other 13% of the assemblage (Figure 12).

Figure 11. Eyrie whiteware decoration by percentage.

Page 62: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

54

Undecorated

87%

Sponge

Painted

5%

Hand-

Painted

1%

Transfer

Print

6%

Luster

1%

Cottage: Whiteware Decoration

The undecorated whiteware suggests that the people of Brook Farm were choosing to

obtain plain whiteware instead of decorated ware. To determine significance for the analysis and

the comparison between Eyrie and Cottage, chi-square was used.

The chi-square is a test of statistical significance that helps determine whether there is an

actual relationship between the factors being compared. The chi-square provides a test of

independence, and there is a built in hypothesis that is either proven or disproven, the null

hypothesis (Healey 2009). The null hypothesis assumes that all factors are independent of each

other. There are several factors that determine whether the null hypothesis is proven or

disproven; the first is the degree of freedom of each test. The degree of freedom is found with a

Figure 12. Percentages of Cottage whiteware decoration.

Page 63: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

55

simple equations, (r-1)(c-1). There must be at least two columns and two rows, there is always at

least 1 degree of freedom (Healey 2009). The second factor is the percent of confidence for this

analysis the minimum level of confidence is 95%. There are totals that are compared, the X2

(obtained) and the X2 (critical). The X2 (critical) is found on the chi-square chart, look at the

degree of freedom and the percent of confidence that is desired and a value is given. The X2

(obtained) is the value after calculating all the factors that are being compared. If the X2

(obtained) is lower than, in this analysis, 95% confidence X2 (critical) the null hypothesis is

proven (Healey 2009). If the X2 (obtained) is higher than the X2 (critical) then the null

hypothesis is disproven and the rows are dependent on the columns (Healey 2009). The chi-

square used the obtained values, the actual values of the assemblage, and the expected, this is

used by multiplying the total of the column by the total of the row, then dividing it by the total of

both. ((sumr*sumc)/totalsum).

Both vessel counts and sherd counts were compared for dependence in the chi square.

The use of both sherd count and vessel count provided a double comparison. There were a low

number of vessels found at Brook Farm, 19 from the Eyrie, and 38 from the Cottage. Using sherd

counts provides an extra level of analysis and discussion between the findings of sherd counts

versus vessel count analysis.

The first chi-square test analyzed the Brook Farm vessel count, comparing the Eyrie and

the Cottage. Table 3 and Table 4 show the observed and expected vessel counts, by ceramic ware

type for the Eyrie and the Cottage. The null hypothesis is the ceramic ware-type of the vessel is

independent of where the vessel came from, either the Eyrie of the Cottage. The degree of

freedom is (5-1)(2-1)=4 and the X2 (obtained)=13.495. The X2 (critical) at 95% confidence is

9.488, the null hypothesis is disproven. It is beyond the 99% confidence level at 13.277. The

Page 64: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

56

ceramic ware type of the vessel is dependent on where the vessel came from, either the Eyrie or

the Cottage. The test confirms at a 98% confidence that there is a relationship between vessel

ware type and location of the vessel.

Obtained Vessel Count: Brook Farm

Ware Type Eyrie Cottage TOTAL

Creamware 4 1 5

Yellowware 1 3 4

Pearlware 7 2 9 Whiteware 23 7 30 Porcelain 0 4 4 TOTAL 35 17 52

The next analysis was similar but it used the sherd counts instead of vessel counts. Table

5 and Table 6 show the observed and expected sherd counts, by ceramic ware types for the Eyrie

and the Cottage. The null hypothesis was the ceramic ware type of the sherd is independent on

where they came from, the Eyrie or Cottage. The sherd counts are much higher, of course, than

the vessel counts and the X^2 (obtained) are much larger, with the same comparative X2

(critical). The degree of freedom is 7 with and X2critical of 14.057 for 95%. The X2 (obtained) is

281.397, this is well beyond the X2 (critical) 24.322 of a 99.99% confidence level. The null

hypothesis was disproved; the sherd type is dependent at a 99.99% confidence level on whether

they came from the Eyrie or Cottage.

Expected Vessel Count: Brook Farm

Ware Type Eyrie Cottage TOTAL

Creamware 3.37 1.63 5

Yellowware 2.69 1.31 4

Pearlware 6.06 2.94 9 Whiteware 20.19 9.81 30 Porcelain 2.69 1.31 4 TOTAL 35 17 52

Table 4. Expected Vessel Count for Eyrie

and Fuller Cottage.

Table 3. Obtained vessel count for Eyrie

and Brook Farm.

Page 65: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

57

Whiteware was the most abundant of the ceramics and thus further analysis was

conducted on this ceramic type. The whiteware vessels and sherds were compared by decorated

or plain. The first chi-square was performed on the sherd count of whiteware from the Eyrie and

the Cottage.

The null hypothesis is the appearance of decorated or plain whiteware is independent of

which area they came from, Eyrie or Cottage. Table 7 and Table 8 show the observed and

expected counts for the whiteware sherd count for the Eyrie and the Cottage. The degree of

freedom was one, the X^2 (obtained) was 17.74, this is beyond the X^2 (critical) of 10.827 for a

99.99% confidence. The null hypothesis was disproved, these calculation show that there is over

a 99.99% confidence level that these decoration of whiteware is dependent on which area it

comes from.

Observed Sherd Count: Brook Farm

Ware Type Eyrie Cottage Total

Redware 4 25 29

Creamware 1 76 77

Yellowware 140 6 146

Pearlware 24 66 90

Whiteware 279 567 846

Stoneware 2 2 4 Porcelain 0 10 10 TOTAL 450 752 1202

Expected Sherd Count: Brook Farm

Ware Type Eyrie Cottage Total

Redware 10.86 18.14 29

Creamware 28.83 48.17 77

Yellowware 54.66 91.34 146

Pearlware 33.69 56.31 90 Whiteware 316.72 529.28 846

Stoneware 1.5 2.5 4 Porcelain 3.74 6.26 10 TOTAL 450 752 1202

Table 5. Observed sherd count for the

Eyrie and Fuller Cottage.

Table 5: Observed sherd count for the

Eyrie and Fuller Cottage

Table 6. Expected sherd count for the

Eyrie and Fuller Cottage.

Table 6: Expected sherd count for the

Eyrie and Fuller Cottage

Page 66: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

58

The whiteware vessel counts are much lower than the sherd counts. The Eyrie had a total

of 7 whiteware vessels, 5 plain and 2 decorated (Table 9). The Cottage had a total of 23 vessels,

10 plain, 13 decorated (Table 9). Table 10 shows the expected values of whiteware vessels for

the Eyrie and the Cottage. The null hypothesis is that the decoration of the vessel is independent

of the area it came from, Eyrie or the Cottage. The X^2 (obtained) is 1.678 and for a 95%

confidence with a degree of freedom of 1 the X^2 (critical) is 3.841. The X^2 (obtained) for the

whiteware vessel test is 1.678. The null hypothesis was not disproven and there is no dependence

between whiteware vessel decoration and the area it came from.

The Brook Farm comparison showed that there was a difference between the Eyrie and

the Cottage based on the decoration and ware type.. The decoration of whiteware sherds, and the

ware types of ceramics, both sherds and vessels are dependent on which building they came

Expected Sherd Count: Whiteware

Whiteware

Decoration Eyrie Cottage TOTAL

Plain 251.96 512.04 764

Decorated 27.-4 54.96 82

TOTAL 279 567 846

Observed Sherd Count: Whiteware

Whiteware

Decoration Eyrie Cottage TOTAL

Plain 269 495 764

Decorated 10 72 82

TOTAL 279 567 846

Expected Whiteware Vessel Count

Whiteware

Decoration Eyrie Cottage TOTAL

Plain 3.5 11.5 15

Decorated 3.5 11.5 15

TOTAL 7 23 30

Observed Whiteware Vessel Counts

Whiteware

Decoration Eyrie Cottage TOTAL

Plain 5 10 15

Decorated 2 13 15

TOTAL 7 23 30

Table 7. Obtained whiteware sherd

count, plain and decorated.

Table 7: Obtained whiteware sherd

count, plain and decorated.

Table 8. Expected sherd count for

whiteware, plain and decorated.

Table 8: Expected sherd count for

whiteware, plain and decorated.

Table 9. Observed whiteware vessel

count, plain and decorated.

Table 9: Observed whiteware vessel

count, plain and decorated.

Table 10. Expected whiteware vessel

count, plain and decorated.

Table 10: Expected whiteware vessel

count, plain and decorated

Page 67: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

59

originated. The difference in the buildings can be correlated to the different residents who lived

at each building.

Tremont Street Housing Site and Brook Farm

The Tremont Street housing site, like Brook Farm, is mostly whiteware (63%). Figure 13

shows the Tremont Street Housing site assemblage by ware type. The chi-square tests compared

the combined Brook Farm assemblage with the Tremont Street Housing site. The Tremont Street

Housing site report did not identify the whiteware vessels by decoration type. There is no way to

compare the Brook Farm whiteware vessels decoration with the Tremont Street Housing Site.

The Tremont Street Housing site report does not classify vessels by decoration, just by ware

type, but sherd counts available and a sherd analysis was conducted using the chi square.

Redware

6%Yellowware

4%

Rockingham

7%

Pearlware

7%

Whiteware

63%

Stoneware

5%

Porcelain

8%

Tremont Street Housing: Ceramic Ware

Types

Figure 13. Tremont Street Housing ceramic percentages by ware

type.

Figure 13: Tremont Street Housing ceramic percentages by ware

type.

Page 68: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

60

The Tremont Street Housing site and the Brook Farm sherd counts are shown in Table 11

(observed) and Table 12 (expected). The null hypothesis is the ceramic ware type is independent

of the site they came from. The X^2 (obtained) is 24.182, that is above the X^2 (critical) of

20.090 of a 99% confidence level that the factors are dependent. The null hypothesis is rejected

the ceramic type found at the site is dependent on which site it came from.

The sherd count X^2 (obtained) is 365.754, well beyond the 99.99% confidence level of

X^2 (critical) 26.125. The null hypothesis was rejected. The ceramic ware types are dependent

on the site which they came from.

Redware

2%

Creamware

6%

Yellowware

12%

Pearlware

8%

Whiteware

71%

Porcelain

1%

Brook Farm: Combined Ceramic by

Ware Type

Figure 14. Brook Farm combined ceramic percentages by ware type.

Page 69: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

61

OBSERVED: VESSEL COUNT BY WARE TYPE

Ware Type Brook Farm (Eyrie and Cottage

Combined) Tremont Street

Housing TOTAL

Redware 2 22 24

Tin Enameled 0 2 2

Creamware 5 1 6

Yellowware 4 6 10

Rockingham 1 11 12

Pearlware 9 26 35

Whiteware 30 62 92

Stoneware 2 22 24

Porcelain 4 14 18

TOTAL 57 166 223

EXPECTED: VESSEL COUNT BY WARE TYPE

Ware Type Brook Farm (Eyrie and Cottage

Combined) Tremont Street

Housing TOTAL

Redware 6.13 17.87 24

Tin Enameled 0.51 1.49 2

Creamware 1.53 4.47 6

Yellowware 2.56 7.44 10

Rockingham 3.07 8.93 12

Pearlware 8.95 26.05 35

Whiteware 23.52 68.48 92

Stoneware 6.13 17.87 24

Porcelain 4.6 13.4 18

TOTAL 57 166 223

Table 12. Expected vessel count Brook Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site.

Table 12: Expected vessel count Brook Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site.

Table 11. Observed vessel count Brook Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site.

Table 11: Observed vessel count Brook Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site.

Page 70: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

62

Whiteware was the most prominent ceramic in the assemblage and was used to compare

decoration. Table 15 and Table 16 show the observed and expected whiteware sherd counts for

the Tremont Street Housing site and Brook Farm. The decoration of whiteware vessels was not

able to be conducted because the Tremont Street housing report does not identify the vessels by

Observed Sherd Count by Ware Type:

Tremont St Housing and Brook Farm

Ware Type

Brook

Farm:

Eyrie

and

Cottage

Tremont

Street

Housing

TOTAL

Redware 29 90 119

Tin

Enameled 0 7 7

Creamware 77 5 82

Yellowware 146 49 195

Rockingham 2 100 102

Pearlware 90 91 181

Whiteware 846 875 1721

Stoneware 4 63 67

Porcelain 10 109 119

TOTAL 1204 1389 2593

Expected Sherd Count by Ware Type:

Tremont St Housing and Brook Farm

Ware Type

Brook

Farm:

Eyrie

and

Cottage

Tremont

Street

Housing

TOTAL

Redware 55.25 63.75 119

Tin

Enameled 3.25 3.75 7

Creamware 38.07 43.93 82

Yellowware 90.54 104.46 195

Rockingham 47.36 54.64 102

Pearlware 84.04 96.96 181

Whiteware 798.64 921.89 1721

Stoneware 31.11 35.89 67

Porcelain 55.25 63.75 119

TOTAL 1204 1389 2593

Observed Sherd Count: Whiteware

Decoration

Tremont

Street

Housing

Brook

Farm:

Eyrie and

Cottage

Combined

TOTAL

Plain 230 764 994

Decorated 100 82 182

TOTAL 330 846 1176

Expected Sherd Count: Whiteware

Decoration

Tremont

Street

Housing

Brook

Farm:

Eyrie and

Cottage

Combined

TOTAL

Plain 278.93 715.07 994

Decorated 51.07 130.93 182

Total 330 846 1176

Table 13. Observed sherd count Brook

Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site.

Table 13: Observed sherd count Brook

Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site

Table 14. Expected sherd count Brook

Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site.

Table 14: Expected sherd count Brook

Farm and the Tremont Street Housing Site

Table 15. Observed sherd count for

whiteware, the Tremont Street Housing site

and Brook Farm.

Table 16. Expected sherd count for

whiteware, the Tremont Street Housing site

and Brook Farm.

Table 16: Expected sherd count for

whiteware, the Tremont Street Housing site

and Brook Farm

Page 71: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

63

decoration. The null hypothesis is the decoration of the whiteware sherd is independent of the

site they came from. The X^2 (obtained) is 77.098, and the X^2 (critical) for a 99.99%

confidence level is 10.827. The null hypothesis is rejected, the decoration of whiteware is

dependent on the site that it came from.

Conclusion

The analysis conducted has shown that there is a statistically significant difference

between the utopian and non-utopian site. Also there is a difference between the Eyrie and

Cottage assemblages. These differences are shown in both sherd and vessel counts, which

support the differences. The following chapter will discuss the interpretations and further

research that can be conducted with the Brook Farm data.

Page 72: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

64

CHAPTER SEVEN

DISCUSSION

Introduction

This chapter will discuss the results of the analysis and the interpretations for what the results

mean for Brook Farm. The chapter will be structured to answer the three research questions

posed in chapters one and five. This chapter will address each question and provide an

interpretation from the analysis conducted. This chapter will also provide insights into further

research that can be conducted with the Brook Farm assemblage.

Results

This section will use the questions asked of the ceramics to guide the discussion.

What ceramics were the people of Brook Farm using?

There was a total of 1,204 ceramics were analyzed from the Brook Farm areas, 754 from

Cottage and 450 from the Eyrie. These ceramics were mostly whiteware (71%) when the Eyrie

and Cottage are combined. There was also yellowware (12%), pearlware (8%), creamware (6%),

redware (2%), and porcelain (1%) (Figure 14).

The results will be discussed as the analysis was conducted starting with the intra-site

comparison between the Eyrie and Cottage. The first aspect of the analysis was a Mean Ceramic

Date, for the Cottage it was 1851 and for the Eyrie it was 1857. The ideal mean ceramic date

should be 1843 or 1844, but with such a short time span it would be hard to achieve an ideal

mean date. The mean ceramic date for undecorated whiteware is 1860 and that is the majority of

the Brook Farm sample, from both the Eyrie and the Cottage, thus it is not surprising that the

mean date is so late for both of the areas. . The mean date is made earlier with the creamware and

pearlware mixed in. The mean date provides an estimate of what the dates could be for Brook

Page 73: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

65

Farm, with the documents of Brook Farm and the known dates of occupation provides a constant

for which to compare the MCDs.

Unfortunately there were only 2 vessels that could be identified in the entire assemblage,

a colander and a jug, both from the Eyrie. The other ceramics were small sherds that could not be

identified past flatware or hollowware. Thus the answer to this question can only go as far as

ware type.

The majority of the ceramics were undecorated whiteware. This goes along with the

simple ideal that was part of Brook Farm. The assemblage was mostly whiteware (71%) and

yellow ware (12%), these two ceramic types were fairly new compared to the pearlware that was

readily available. The whiteware was further divided into decorated and undecorated, 90% was

undecorated and 10% was decorated. The Brook Farmers were using an overwhelming amount

of undecorated whiteware. The Brook Farmers stressed simplicity in their community, the

undecorated ceramics are part of that. It is likely that since these two buildings were residences

Figure 15. Colander from Eyrie Interior (Left) and Exterior (Right).

Figure 15: Colander from Cottage Interior (Left) and Exterior (Right)

Page 74: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

66

that there were ceramics brought in by the boarders and guests. Members would have also

brought in new ceramics. The Ripley’s may have purchased ceramics for the community when

they moved in; new members most likely brought their own ceramics when they moved into the

community.

The large amounts of newer ceramics is likely because those starting members, the

Ripley’s, Charles Dana, Nathaniel Hawthorn, and others were not poor members of society.

These beginning members were able to bring their own property to Brook Farm. They would

have been able to afford whiteware and yellow ware in their own lives and thus able to bring

these items to their homes at Brook Farm.

Figure 16. Whiteware Jug Rim from the Eyrie.

Figure 16: Whiteware Jug Rim from the Eyrie

Page 75: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

67

Brook Farmers were using undecorated whiteware for the majority of their ceramics,

along with yellowware, which is a utilitarian ware. There was a low level of decorated or

expensive ceramics such as porcelain, only 1% of the assemblage, this is indicative of the

simplicity that was stressed in the Brook Farm community.

Figure 17. Re-fit Hand Painted Floral Print Rim.

Figure 17: Re-fit Hand Painted Floral Print Rim

Figure 18. Blue Transferprinted whiteware.

Page 76: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

68

How does the Cottage assemblage compare to the Eyrie Assemblage?

The Brook Farm assemblage discussed as whole in the previous section was made of two

different areas for analysis; the Eyrie and the Cottage. The Brook Farm areas were both

residential and contained different ceramic assemblages. The Cottage contained whiteware

(76%), creamware (10%), pearlware (9%), yellowware (1%), redware (3%), and porcelain (1%)(

Figure 7). The Eyrie contained whiteware (62%), yellowware (31%), pearlware (5%), redware

(1%), stoneware (1%), and unidentified (2%) (see Figure 4).

The chi square test was used to determine if the difference in ceramics at each location

was significant. For both the sherd count and the vessel count the ceramics are statistically

dependent on the area that they came from, beyond a 98% confidence level. This means that the

ceramics at the Eyrie and the Ceramics at the Cottage provide are different. The difference is

Figure 19. Sample of undecorated whiteware, majority of

Brook Farm assemblage.

Figure 19: Sample of undecorated whiteware, majority of Brook

Farm assemblage

Figure 17: Blue Transfer Printed whiteware from the Cottage

Figure 17: Blue Transfer Printed whiteware from the Cottage

Page 77: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

69

caused by the people who stayed at these two buildings. The people living at these two building

had different assemblages.

The difference was likely due to who was living at the Eyrie and who was living at the

Cottage. The Eyrie was the residence of the Ripley year round, with guest and boarders that they

invited into their home. The Cottage was the home of boarding students and guests, not people

who stayed the entire time at Brook Farm. The residences of both buildings were different and

thus they had the difference assemblages. It is interesting to see the Cottage contained porcelain

artifacts and the Eyrie did not. The porcelain in the Cottage assemblage likely was caused by

guests bringing in their own ceramics, maybe even just a tea cup.

Visitors and boarders with the Ripley’s at the Eyrie were few and far between. The

Cottage was a constant place for older boarders and guests to the farm.. These visitors, although

they supported their friend were not committed to his cause and community. They would have

perhaps brought a tea cup from home. Same with boarders, they would likely bring some

comforts from home to their new school and room.

How does this assemblage compare to a non-utopian assemblage? Is the Brook Farm

assemblage different than a non-utopian site from the same time period?

The Tremont Street Housing Site was an assemblage made from a working class area in

Roxbury Massachusetts. This site had a total of 1389 ceramic sherds in the assemblages. There

majority was whiteware at (63%), with porcelain (8%),Rockingham (7%), pearlware (7%),

redware (6%), yellowware (4%), and stoneware (5%) (Figure 13). This assemblage was tested

using a chi-square to determine if it was statistically different from the Brook Farm assemblage.

The result was a 99% confidence level that there is a dependence of the ceramics to sites. The

vessels were also taken into consideration for analysis, Brook Farm had a total of 57 vessels and

Page 78: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

70

Tremont Street Housing had a total of 166 vessels. These vessel counts were taken from the

Tremont Street Housing Report and calculated using rims and bases to determine Brook Farm

vessel count. The chi-square result was a 99.99% confidence level that the vessel types were

dependent on the site they came from. Further analysis was conducted comparing decorated and

undecorated whiteware by with whiteware sherd count. The whiteware sherd count provided a

99.99% confidence level that the decoration of the whiteware was dependent of the site it came

from.

The Brook Farm site and the Tremont Street Housing site comparison shows that the two

sites are different. The ceramics are different both at a vessel and sherd level. The Brook Farm

site had more undecorated whiteware which may be part of living in a utopia, having simple

material goods to focus on nature. The Tremont Street Housing site reflects a non-utopian

example of Boston life and material culture. There is much more decorated whiteware, and more

varied ceramics in general, there is creamware, pearlware, yellowware, rockingham, redware,

stoneware and porcelain (Figure 9). The ideology of Brook Farm focused on the simple life,

commitment to nature and education, that focus is reflected in their ceramics. The outside Boston

community is reflected in the Tremont Street Housing site, many different concerns are part of

their purchases.

Conclusion

The analysis has provided quite a bit of information to what was going on at Brook Farm.

There is a difference between the Cottage and Eyrie each area had a unique assemblage. This is

also true for Brook Farm and the Tremont Street Housing site. There is a different assemblage at

each of the sites. The Cottage and Eyrie were different because different community members

used different ceramics. The guests and boarders of the Cottage made the ceramic assemblages

Page 79: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

71

slightly more diverse than the Eyrie. These differences prove that the different members brought

in some of their ceramics and each residence likely had different artifacts.

The comparison with the Tremont Street Housing site has also provided useful results;

there is a significant difference between the two assemblages. This helps to solidify Brook Farm

as unique from non-utopian sites. The consumer choice of the members of Brook Farmer were

different from the residents of the comparative site. The majority of plain whiteware from Brook

Farm supports the simple ideals of a utopian community.

Future Research

This analysis is preliminary and produces more question than answers for the Brook

Farm assemblage. The Cottage and Eyrie assemblages have been catalogued and analyzed but

there are other artifacts in the assemblage. There are building materials, glass, possible toys, and

other small finds. The metal artifacts are deteriorating but it is worth trying to determine what is

left for analysis. There are also several other buildings at the Brook Farm location, the Hive, a

large communal building, the workshop, the outer barns, and the print shop. All of these building

contain different artifacts and different information about Brook Farm as a whole.

The research questions have been answered, yet there are many more questions to be

asked is; How does Brook Farm compare with other Fourierist communities? How does Brook

Farm compare with more diverse non-utopian sites? What other artifacts are at Brook Farm?

What can be said about the entire site, all of the occupations? There are many different questions

that can be asked of the Brook Farm artifacts. This research has allowed Brook Farm to be

noticed once more and opened it for further research projects.

There is a Native American component, Camp Andrew from the Civil War, the Roxbury

Almshouse, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Orphanage. Each of these different components has

Page 80: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

72

their own assemblage that can be analyzed and should be for further information and understand

of how these sites are related and separated in time. The Almshouse would be an interesting site

for those interested in small find. There almshouse and orphanage both contain a large number of

children’s toys, while Camp Andrew contained buttons and military artifacts.

The Brook Farm site is much larger than this analysis has provided, but this is just the

beginning of the research. There can be much more conducted on the Brook Farm site. This is a

ceramic analysis, but it is also attempt to contribute to the knowledge that is being held in

repositories throughout the country.

Page 81: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

73

References Cited

Burton , Katherine

1939 Paradise Planters: The Story of Brook Farm. Longmans, Green and Co. New

York.

Charles, Sheila and Woodward Openo

1987 The Tremont Street Housing Site, Roxbury, Massachusetts Reports on the Phase

III Archaeological Data Recovery. For the Massachusetts Bay Transportation

Authority Southwest Corridor Project.

Codman, John Thomas

1894 Brook Farm: Historical and Personal Memoirs. Arena Publishing Company,

Boston, MA.

Curtis, Edith Roelker

1961 A Season in Utopia: the Story of Brook Farm. Thomas Nelson and Sons, New

York.

Delano, Sterling F.

2004 Brook Farm: The Dark Side of Utopia. The Belknap Press of Harvard

University Press, Cambridge MA.

Francis, Richard

1997 Transcendental Utopias: Individual and Community at Brook Farm, Fruitlands,

and Walden. Cornel University, Ithaca, NY.

Frothingham, Octavius, Brooks

1959 Transcendentalism in New England: A History. Harper & Brothers, NY.

Page 82: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

74

Guarneri, Carl J.

1985 Importing Fourierism to America. Journal of the History of Ideas 43(4): 581-594.

Guarneri, Carl J.

1991 The Utopian Alternative: Fourierism in Nineteenth Century America. Cornell

University Press, Cornell, NY.

Gura, Philip F.

2007 American Transcendentalism: A History. Hill and Wang, NY

Haraszti, Zoltan

1937 The Idyll of Brook Farm: As Revealed by the Unpublished Letters in the Boston

Public Library. Published By the Trustees of the Public Library, Boston MA.

Healey, Joseph F.

2009 Statistics: A Tool for Social Research. Wadsworth Cengage Learning, United

States.

Holloway, Mark

1966 Heavens on Earth: Utopian Communities in America 1680-1880. Dover

Publications Inc. New York.

McGrane, Reginald Charles

1965 The Panic of 1837: Some Financial Problems of the Jacksonian Era. Russell &

Russell Inc., NY.

Pendery, Steven

1991 Archaeological Testing at Brook Farm. Report to the Massachusetts historical

Commission, Boston, from Steven R. Pendery, Boston City Archaeology

Program, Boston MA.

Page 83: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

75

Preucel, Robert, W and Steven R. Pendery

2006 Envisioning Utopias: Transcendental and Fourierist Landscapes at Brook farm,

West Roxbury , Massachusetts. Historical Archaeology 40(1):6-19.

Purser, Margaret

1992 Consumption as Communication in the Nineteenth-Century Paradise Valley

Nevada. Historical Archaeology 26(3):105-116.

Rose, Anne C

1981 Transcendentalism as a Social Movement, 1830-1850. Yale University Press, New

Haven CT.

Rousseau, Peter L.

2002 Jacksonian Monetary Policy, Specie Flows, and the Panic of 1837. The Journal of

Economic History 62 (2): 457-488.

Van Buren and Tarlow

2006 The Interpretative Potential of Utopian Settlements. Historical Archaeology (40):

1-5.

Van Wormer, Stephen R. and G. Timothy Gross

2006 Archaeological Identification of an Idiosyncratic Lifestyle: Excavation and

Analysis of the Theosophical Society dumb in San Diego, California. Historical

Archaeology (40):100-118.

Voss, Barbara L and Rebecca Allen

2010 A Guide to Ceramic MNV Calculations Qualitative Analysis. Technical Briefs in

Historical Archaeology (5):1-9.

Page 84: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

76

APPENDIX A

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

N0 W0 Str1 Lev4

4 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

unidentified

food/beverage

service No glaze

N0 W0 Str1 Lev4

2 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service transfer print transfer print green 1830 1860 1845 Transfer printed whiteware.

pink Exterior Exterior

N0 W0 Str1 Lev4

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware rim

N0 W0 Str1 Lev4

10 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

commerce

seal 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware body fragments

N0 W0 Str1 Lev4

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805 Plain pearlware rim

N0 W0 Str1 Lev4

56 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Creamware, lighter yellow glaze

food/beverage

service 1775 1820 1798 plain creamware body

N0 W0 Str1 Lev4

6 vessel, flat

base Earthenware, refined

Creamware, lighter yellow glaze

food/beverage

service 1775 1820 1798 Has maker mark Virginian, Made in USA A 42 N? 8

N0 W0 Str1 Lev4

8 vessel, flat

rim Earthenware, refined

Creamware, shell-edge

food/beverage

service luster 1790 1800 1795 Scalloped edged creamware with luster decoration along the rim.

Interior

Page 85: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

77

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

N0 W10 -- Level Str3Lev1

2 vessel, indeterminate

handle Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, molded

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain, whiteware handles

N0 W10 -- Level Str3Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Porcelain food/beverage

service decal decal decal black 1825 1900 1863 brown pink Interior Interior Interior

N0 W10 -- Level Str3Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Porcelain food/beverage

service painted blue 1800 1830 1815 Handpainted blue porcelain scalloped rim.

Exterior

N0 W10 -- Level Str3Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain yellowware rim

N0 W10 -- Level Str3Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Burnt yellowware body fragment

N0 W10 -- Level Str3Lev1

3 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware rim

N0 W10 -- Level Str3Lev1

25 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware body fragments

N0 W10 -- Level Str3Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service transfer print blue 1830 1900 1860 Blue transfer printed whiteware body

Exterior

N0 W10 Str1 LEv1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Stoneware brown, salt-glazed

food/beverage

Storage Albany slip Stoneware, salt glazed and Albany slipped

Interior

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service molded 1780 1830 1805 Sprig Mold, Floral

Exterior

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, hollow

body Porcelain food/beverage

service molded 1640 1750 1695 Dehua White china

Exterior

Page 86: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

78

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Porcelain food/beverage

service stenciled painted red 1750 1900 1825 green Exterior Exterior

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, hollow

body Porcelain food/beverage

service other blue 1800 1830 1815 Littler's Blue porcelain

Exterior

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

2 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, flat

rim Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805 Plain Scalloped pearlware rim

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

3 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 colander rim Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

preparation

1780 1820 1805

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service transfer print blue 1830 1900 1865 Exterior

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

4 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

2 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecora

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Scalloped edges

Page 87: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

79

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

ted

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

2 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, molded

food/beverage

service mottled 1800 1840 1820 Molded with small raised dots on along edge. Scalloped edges

Exterior

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

unidentified

food/beverage

service 0 0 burned

N0 W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, hollow

base Earthenware, refined

Whiteware

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860

N0 W15 -- Level Str3Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Creamware, lighter yellow glaze

food/beverage

service 1775 1820 1798 Plain Creamware, rim

Both

N0 W15 -- Level Str3Lev1

11 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, coarse

Redware, Lead Glazed

food/beverage

preparation

Lead Glazed Redware

Interior

N0 W15 -- Level Str3Lev1

15 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware, body

Both

N0 W15 -- Level Str3Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware rim

Both

N0 W15 -- Level Str3Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service transfer print blue 1830 1900 1865 Blue transferprinted whiteware, nature scene, piece has stem with leaves.

Exterior

N0 W15 -- Level Str3Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service transfer print purple/manganese

1830 1900 1865 Purple transferprint, on the edge of the rim.

Interior

N0 W15 - 1 vessel, body Earthenwa Whitewar food/bev service transfer print blue 1830 1900 1865 Blue Exterior

Page 88: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

80

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

- Level Str3Lev1

indeterminate

re, refined e, transfer printed

erage transferprinted body, whiteware

N0 W15 -- Level Str3Lev2

14 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, coarse

Redware, lead glazed

food/beverage

storage Plain, lead glazed redware

Interior

N0 W15 -- Level Str3Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, Transfer Printed

food/beverage

service transfer print blue 1830 1900 1865 Floral and possibly other design. All blue

Exterior

N0 W15 -- Level Str3Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service transfer print blue 1830 1900 1865 Small, whitware

Exterior

N0 W15 -- Level Str3Lev2

16 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware

N0 W15 -- Level Str3Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Refits with Lot# 58105

Exterior

N0 W15 Str1 Lev1

1 vessel, tableware

base Earthenware, refined

Ironstone food/beverage

service transfer print brown 1840 1930 1885 Crossmends with lot #57041 and lot #57042

Exterior

N0 W15 Str1 Lev1

1 vessel, hollow

rim Earthenware, refined

Ironstone food/beverage

service transfer print brown 1840 1930 1885 crossmends with lot #57040 and lot #57042

Exterior

N0 W15 Str1 Lev1

1 vessel, hollow

base Earthenware, refined

Ironstone food/beverage

service transfer print brown 1840 1930 1885 Crossmends with lot #57040 and lot #57041

Exterior

N0 W15 Str1 Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

Porcelain food/beverage

consumption

painted blue 1750 2000 1875 Overglazed porcelain

Exterior

N0 W15 Str1 Lev1

3 vessel, indeterminate

body Porcelain Not Assigned

painted black 1750 2000 1875 Polychrome Porcelain, hand-

blue red Exterior

Page 89: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

81

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

painted, green, blue,black, red, pink

N0 W15 Str1 Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

base Porcelain Not Assigned

painted stenciled green 1750 2000 1875 Likley same vessel or set as lot #57044. underglazed a hand painted and stenciled

red pink Exterior

N0 W15 Str1 Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Ironstone food/beverage

service transfer print blue 1840 1930 1885 Blue tranfer print flower. Evidence of burining

Interior

N0 W15 Str1 Lev1

1 vessel, flat

base Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 Plain ironstone, likley plate.

Both

N0 W15 Str1 Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

Not Assigned

1820 1900 1860 Plain Ironstone, no decoration. Just glaze

N0 W15 Str1 Lev1

1 vessel, hollow

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

preparation

1780 1830 1805 Collander, crossmends with Lot# 57050 rim

N0 W15 Str1 Lev1

1 vessel, hollow

rim Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

preparation

1780 1830 1805 Plain, crossmends with lot #57049. Collander

N0 W20 -- Level Str1Lev3

0

N0 W20 Str1 Lev1

2 vessel, indeterminate

foot Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860 Plain Whiteware Base/Foot Rin Fragment

Page 90: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

82

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

N0 W20 Str1 Lev1

8 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860 Plain Whiteware, Small Fragments of the Body

N0 W20 Str1 Lev2

3 fragment body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860

N0 W20 Str1 Lev2

3 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860 Bases/Foot Rings, Likely Flatwares

N0 W20 Str1 Lev2

1 vessel, hollow

base Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860

N0 W20 Str1 Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

foot Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860 Foot Ring, 4 Pieces Crossmended

N0 W20 Str1 Lev3

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

consumption

transfer print blue 1832 1839 1836 Exterior

N0 W20 Str1 Lev3

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, flow blue

food/beverage

consumption

flow blue blue 1844 1860 1852 Exterior

N0 W20 Str1 Lev3

11 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860 Small Body Fragments, Plain

N0 W20 Str1 Lev3

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860

N0 W20 Str1 Lev3

1 vessel, indeterminate

foot Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860 Foot Ring

N0 W20 Str1 Lev3

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860

N0 W20 Str1 Lev3

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, sponged

food/beverage

consumption

sponge gray 1820 1900 1860 Unknown locaton, maybe interior, exterior or

Page 91: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

83

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

both, only has glaze on one side of fragment

N0 W20 Str1 Lev3

2 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

consumption

transfer print blue 1820 1900 1860 Interior

N0 W25 Str2 Lev2

2 vessel, indeterminate

midsection

Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware, no definin marks.

N0 W25 Str3 Lev1

2 vessel, indeterminate

Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860 Plain Whiteware, No Idenifying Marks

N0 W30 str2lv1

9 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

service plain Both

N0 W30 Str 2 LEv1

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

consumption

1779 1820 1800

N0 W30 Str 2 LEv1

1 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

Creamware, deeper yellow glaze

food/beverage

consumption

1750 1820 1785

N0 W30 str2lv1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

service sponge Exterior

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

20 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

2 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805

N0 W5 -- 13 vessel, rim Earthenwa Pearlwar food/bev service 1780 1830 1805

Page 92: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

84

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

Level Str2Lev1

indeterminate

re, refined e, undecorated

erage

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

24 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

unidentified

Not Assigned

No glaze

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, hollow

body Stoneware food/beverage

storage 1820 1900 1860 Both

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

2 vessel, hollow

rim Porcelain food/beverage

service 1800 1900 1850

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

14 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

323 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware, small pieces could be same vessel or multiple.

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

10 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware base fragments

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, hand painted polychrome

food/beverage

service painted painted purple/manganese

1820 1900 1860 Purple and green hand painted body fragment.

green Exterior Exterior

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

3 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undentified

food/beverage

service luster brown 1790 1840 1815 Annular luster deccoration on the rim.

Exterior

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

5 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, sponged

food/beverage

service sponge blue 1820 1900 1860 Blue sponge decorated whiteware rims.

Interior

N0 W5 -- Level

25 vessel, indetermi

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware,

food/beverage

service sponge blue 1820 1900 1860 Blue sponge decorated

Interior

Page 93: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

85

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

Str2Lev1 nate sponged whiteware, body fragments

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

5 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, stenciled

food/beverage

service transfer print blue 1820 1900 1860 Floral decoration, blue transfer printed, whiteware.

Exterior

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

11 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service transfer print blue 1820 1900 1860 Blue transferprinted whiteware.

Interior

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undentified

food/beverage

service luster purple/manganese

1790 1840 1815 Annular luster decoration on whiteware.

Exterior

N0 W5 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, hand painted polychrome

food/beverage

service luster painted brown 1790 1840 1815 Hand painted whiteware with annular luster decoration on rim.

orange Interior Interior

N0 W5 -- Level Str3Lev1

7 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware body fragments

N0 W5 -- Level Str3Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undentified

food/beverage

service luster purple/manganese

1790 1840 1815 Annular purple luster decoration.

Interior

N0 W5 -- Level Str3Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

unidentified

food/beverage

Not Assigned

No Glaze, cearmic unknown

N0W15 -- Level Str2Lev1

2 vessel, flat

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undentified

food/beverage

service decal decal pink 1890 1900 1895 green Exterior Exterior

N1 W14 Lev1

2 vessel, hollow

rim Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, hand painted

food/beverage

service painted 1780 1830 1805 Crossment, Floral hand-painted,

Exterior

Page 94: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

86

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

polychrome

Large jar.

N1 W14 Lev1

1 bottle, indeterminate

rim Stoneware food/beverage

consumption

1820 1900 1860 Rim/Shoulder piece

N1 W14 Lev2

4 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service molded clear 1780 1830 1805 These pieces are the same vessel, 2 Crossmend, Likely a bowl, a molded fan pattern on exterior.

Exterior

N1 W14 Str1 Lev1

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

1780 1820 1805 Possibly Crossmend with Lot49357 N1 W14 Ft1 Lev1

N1 W14 Str1 Lev2

6 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

Not Assigned

1780 1820 1805 Small, glazed fragments

N1 W14 Str1 Lev2

2 vessel, hollow

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, hand painted polychrome

food/beverage

service 1780 1820 1805 Crossmends with Lot 49357

N1 W14 Str1 Lev3

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

storage 1830 1900 1865

N1 W14 Str1 Lev3

4 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

consumption

1780 1830 1805 May crossmend with lot 48299, N1W14 Ft1 Lev2

N1 W14 Str1 Lev3

2 fragment body Earthenware, refined

unidentified

food/beverage

consumption

0 0 Burned/Iron Stained, One or more

Page 95: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

87

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

may crossment with 48299 and 49360.

N1 W14 Str1 Lev3

1 fragment rim Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

consumption

1780 1830 1805

N1 W14 Str1 Lev3

1 vessel, hollow

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, hand painted polychrome

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805 Crossmends with Lot 49357. N1 W14 Ft1 Lev1

N1 W14 Str1 Lev3

1 fragment rim Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

storage 1830 1900 1865 May Crossmend with Lot 49359 N1 W14 Ft1 Lev3

S1 W11 Str 2 Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

preparation

1830 1900 1865 Undecorated, No Glaze, Buff Bodied

S1 W17 Str1 lev 4/5

76 vessel, hollow

near intact

Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 25%-50% 1820 1900 1860 Made of two different level. Most of rim and body, all refit. Thus put in one bag.

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 fragment body Earthenware, coarse

Redware unidentified

food/beverage

preparation

none Undecorated Redware body fragments

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

12 fragment body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

none clear 1820 1900 1860 Undecorated Ironston

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, unidentified

food/beverage

consumption

none 1780 1830 1805 Body Fragemnt, no decoration, has iron statining

Both

Page 96: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

88

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

2 fragment rim Earthenware, refined

whiteware, unidentified

food/beverage

consumption

Annular blue 1820 1900 1860 Annular, yellow rim with blue annular.

yellow Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

whiteware unidentified

food/beverage

consumption

Annular Annular other blue 1820 1900 1860 Body, likely part of lot # 56994. With evidence of more decoreation, black.

yellow black Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

preparation

sprig molded

yellow 1830 1900 1865 Sprig Molding, leaf.

Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

28 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

storage 1820 1900 1860 Plain yellowware body fragments. Some crossments. Likley same vessel as lot #56996 sprig mold.

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

storage plain yellow 1820 1900 1860 Plain yellowware

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

8 fragment body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

plain clear 1820 1900 1860 Plain ironstone

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 fragment rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undentified

food/beverage

consumption

Annular Annular blue 1820 1900 1860 Rim and crossmends with lot #56994

yellow Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

2 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undentified

food/beverage

consumption

Annular Annular Annular blue 1820 1900 1860 Body Fragment that is likley part of Lot #57003 and 56995 and #5664.

yellow black Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 fragment body Earthenware, coarse

Redware, lead

food/beverage

preparation

plain Plain Body, Likley part of

Both

Page 97: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

89

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

glazed lot #57006

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 fragment rim Earthenware, coarse

Redware, lead glazed

food/beverage

preparation

plain Rim fragment, likley part of lot #57005

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

15 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

service plain 1840 1900 1860 Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

3 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

service plain 1840 1900 1860 Two are crossmended, they both crossmend with lot #57294

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

8 vessel, indeterminate

foot Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

service plain 1840 1900 1860 crossmends with base sherd in lot #57292

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

7 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, mocha

food/beverage

service Mocha 1830 1900 1865 Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

unidentified

Not Assigned

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

3 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

service plain 1840 1900 1860 Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

4 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

2 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, mocha

food/beverage

service Mocha 1830 1900 1865 Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, banded

food/beverage

service incised blue 1830 1900 1865 Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

4 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 Both

Page 98: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

90

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

14 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 vessel, indeterminate

foot Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, mocha

food/beverage

service Mocha 1830 1900 1865 Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

15 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

2 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, hand painted polychrome

food/beverage

service painted green 1820 1900 1860 likely a leaf Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

7 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, mocha

food/beverage

service Mocha 1830 1900 1865 Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

5 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, mocha

food/beverage

service Annular blue 1830 1900 1865 Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

3 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

1 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

2 vessel, indeterminate

handle Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860

S1 W17 Str1 Lev4

40 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860

S1 W17 1 fragment body Earthenwa Pearlwar food/bev consumpt plain 1780 1820 1805 Undecorate Both

Page 99: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

91

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

Str1 Lev5 re, refined e, undecorated

erage ion d Pearlware body fragment

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

2 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

consumption

plain 1830 1900 1865 Plain yellow ware. Part of str1 lev4?

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

preparation

other green 1830 1900 1865 Plain on one side with green on the other side

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

2 fragment body Earthenware, refined

unidentified

Not Assigned

No glaze, just the earthenware body

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 fragment rim Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

plain 1820 2000 1860 Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

20 fragment body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

plain 1820 1900 1860 Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, sponged

food/beverage

consumption

sponge red 1830 1871 1851 Whiteware, small evidence of red sponge decoration

Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 vessel, hollow

rim Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

preparation

plain 1830 1900 1865 Plain yellowware Rim.

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

3 vessel, hollow

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

storage 1830 1900 1865 Plain yellow ware. Likley same vessel as lot # 57095

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 vessel, indeterminate

Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service 1830 1900 1865 Plain whiteware, evidence of uring, and iron leaching.

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, coarse

Redware, Lead Glazed

food/beverage

storage plain Plain, lead glazed redware,

Exterior

S1 W17 18 vessel, body Earthenwa whitewar food/bev service plain 1820 1900 1860 Plain Both

Page 100: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

92

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

Str1 Lev5 indeterminate

re, refined e erage Ironstone, Some crossmended

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 vessel, indeterminate

foot Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 Foot of a round vessel. Possibly goes plain ironsont body sherds from Lot # 57235

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

0 Not Assigned

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 Crossmended with body sherd from lot #57235, likley part of same vessel as lot #57239

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, mocha

food/beverage

storage Annular Mocha yellow 1830 1900 1965 Mocha , yellow ware. Possibley crossfits with other annular mocha where from same pit.

blue Exterior Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

27 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 Ironstone, plain, Most crossmended.

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

service plain 1820 1900 1860 base, likley same vessel as lot# 57263

Both

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

unidentified

Not Assigned

No indicative

Page 101: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

93

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

glaze. Evidence of buring.

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, mocha

food/beverage

service Mocha green 1830 1900 1865 Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, mocha

food/beverage

service plain Annular 1830 1900 1865 blue Both Exterior

S1 W17 Str1 Lev5

4 vessel, hollow

rim Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service incised blue 1830 1990 1865 4 pieces crossmended, contains B19.0295 and B19.0334

Exterior

S1 W17 Str2 Lev1

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

unidentified

Not Assigned

plain, no glaze just body

S1 W17 Str2 Lev1

3 fragment body Earthenware, refined

whiteware

food/beverage

consumption

plain 1820 1900 1860 Both

S1 W17 Str2 Lev2

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

storage plain 1830 1900 1865 Plain yellow ware

Both

S1 W17 Str2 Lev2

1 fragment rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

consumption

transfer print blue 1820 1900 1860 Blue Transfer print. Not large enough to find pattern type

Interior

S1 W17 Str2 Lev3

2 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

storage plain yellow 1830 1900 1865 Plain Yellowware, body fragment

Exterior

S1 W17 Str2 Lev3

1 fragment body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

consumption

plain clear 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware body sherd.

Both

S10 W15 1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, unidentifi

food/beverage

service other brown Exterior

Page 102: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

94

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

ed

S10 W15 -- Level Str1Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service Plain whiteware,

S10 W15 -- Level Str4Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware rim

S10 W15 -- Level Str4Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware body

S10 W15 -- Level Str4Lev1

2 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service transfer print painted pink 1820 1900 1860 Transfer printed flowers pink and yellow, with hand painting over glaze, green.

green Interior Interior

S10 W15 -- Level Str4Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Rockingham-type

food/beverage

service 1812 1900 1856 Rockingham

S10 W15 -- Level Str4Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

foot Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1779 1820 1800 Plain, pearlware, foot ring.

S10 W15 -- Level Str4Lev2

3 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1779 1820 1800 Plain pearlware, body fragments

S10 W15 -- Level Str5Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undentified

food/beverage

service Annular pink Base, with pink annular decoration around the footring.

Exterior

S10 W15 -- Level Str5Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service transfer print black Black tranferprint

Exterior

Page 103: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

95

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

S15 W0 -- Level Str2Lev1

2 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

service 1830 1900 1865 Plain Yellowware

S15 W0 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Creamware, lighter yellow glaze

food/beverage

service 1750 1820 1815 Plain Creamware body fragment

S15 W0 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1820 1805 Plain pearlware rim fragment

S15 W0 -- Level Str2Lev1

2 vessel, hollow

handle Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1820 1805 Plain pearlware handle

S15 W0 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1820 1805 Palin pearlware body fragment

S15 W0 -- Level Str2Lev1

11 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Palin whiteware body fragment

S15 W0 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware rim

S15 W0 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, hand painted polychrome

food/beverage

service painted green 1820 1900 1860 Handpainted whiteware base. Interior green painting.

Interior

S15 W0 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service transfer print transfer print pink 1820 1900 1860 Tranfer printed floral, whiteware

green Interior Interior

S20 W5 -- Level St12Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

unidentified

Not Assigned

No glaze

S20 W5 - 5 vessel, body Earthenwa unidentifi Not Burned

Page 104: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

96

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

- Level St12Lev2

indeterminate

re, refined ed Assigned ceramics, unidentified.

S20 W5 -- Level St12Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Rockingham-type

food/beverage

service molded Rockingham Exterior

S20 W5 -- Level St12Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, mocha

food/beverage

service Mocha blue 1795 1830 1860 Exterior

S20 W5 -- Level St12Lev2

8 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860

S20 W5 -- Level St12Lev2

3 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware rims

S20 W5 -- Level St12Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Stoneware food/beverage

service Brown Salt Glazed stoneware

S20 W5 -- Level St12Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Porcelain food/beverage

service Plain porcelain rim

S20 W5 -- Level Str1Lev3

2 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, transfer printed

food/beverage

service transfer print black 1820 1900 1860 Black transfer printed

Exterior

S20 W5 -- Level Str1Lev3

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware.

S20 W5 -- Level Str1Lev3

2 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware rim

S20 W5 -- Level Str1Lev3

1 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware base

S5 W0 2 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecora

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware body

Page 105: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

97

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

ted fragments

S5 W0 1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware rim

S5 W0 -- Level Str1Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Porcelain English porcelain

food/beverage

service 1750 1900 1825 Plain porcelain

S5 W0 -- Level Str1Lev2

3 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware body fragments

S5 W0 -- Level Str1Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

base Porcelain English porcelain

food/beverage

service 1750 1900 1825 Plain porcelain base

S5 W0 -- Level Str1Lev3

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805 Plain pearlware.

S5 W0 -- Level Str1Lev3

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Yellow ware, plain

food/beverage

storage 1820 1900 1860 Plain yellowware.

S5 W0 -- Level Str2Lev2

7 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805 Plain pearlware body

S5 W0 -- Level Str2Lev2

3 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plian whiteware body fragments

S5 W0 -- Level Str2Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Creamware, lighter yellow glaze

food/beverage

service 1775 1820 1798 Plain creamware body fragment

S5 W0 -- Level Str2Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, sponged

food/beverage

service sponge blue and manganese

1830 1871 1850 Sponge decorated whiteware rim fragment

Both

S5 W0 -- Level Str2Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecora

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805 Plain pearlware rim fragment

Page 106: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

98

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

ted

S5 W0 -- Level Str2Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

base Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805 Plain pearlware base fragment

S5 W0 -- Level Str2Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Creamware, lighter yellow glaze

food/beverage

service 1775 1820 1798 Plain creamware rim

S5 W10 -- Level Str2Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undentified

food/beverage

service decal pink 1890 1900 1895 Interior

S5 W10 -- Level Str2Lev2

2 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805 Plain pearlware body fragments

S5 W10 -- Level Str2Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Pearlware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1780 1830 1805 Plain pearlware rim fragment

S55 W20 Str1lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Ironstone food/beverage

service 1840 1900 1870 Plain Ironstone

Test Pit 1 -- Level Str1Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Creamware, lighter yellow glaze

food/beverage

service A sprig mold from a creamware vessel

Test Pit 1 -- Level Str2Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service Plain whiteware body fragment

Test Pit 2 -- Level Str1Lev1

1 vessel, indeterminate

rim Earthenware, refined

Creamware, lighter yellow glaze

food/beverage

service molded 1766 1820 1793 Molded creamware rim

Exterior

Test Pit 2 -- Level Str1Lev2

1 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, hand painted polychrome

food/beverage

service painted painted painted blue 1830 1900 1865 Hand painted whiteware ploychrome, black, red,

black red Exterior Exterior Exterior

Page 107: Brook Farm: A Ceramic Analysis of a Short Lived Utopia

99

Cottage and Eyrie Ceramic Catalogue

ProvID Quantity Object Portion Material 2 Material 3

Function 1

Function 2

Decoration 1

Decoration2

Decoration 3

Decoration Color 1

Mold Pattern

Begin Date

End Date

Mean Ceramic Date

Comments Decoration Color 2

Decoration Color 3

Location of Decoration 1

Location of Decoration 2

Location of Decoration 3

blue, and black

Test Pit 2 -- Level Str1Lev2

7 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware body fragments

Test Pit 2 -- Level Str1Lev3

5 vessel, indeterminate

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, undecorated

food/beverage

service 1820 1900 1860 Plain whiteware body fragments

Test Pit 2 -- Level Str1Lev3

1 vessel, hollow

body Earthenware, refined

Whiteware, hand painted polychrome

food/beverage

service painted green 1820 1900 1860 Hand painted polychrome

Exterior

1261