This project is meant to be an aid to help with identification of ceramics found on historic period archaeological sites in Nova Scotia.
The collection of ceramics included in this database is not meant to be comprehensive, although future expansion of the database is expected at a later time. The focus is largely on ceramics dating from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The ceramics are arranged roughly chronologically, starting with the earliest ceramic types.
A bibliography at the end of the ceramic catalogue offers some references for more detailed descriptions of ceramic types.
Funding for this project was provided by Saint Mary's University and the Student Employment Experience Program. The camera equipment was provided by the Department of Anthropology at Saint Mary's University. Technical support, bibliographic material, artifacts and computer access were provided by the History Section of the Nova Scotia Museum. Thanks to David Christianson (NSM) for making the Museum's collections and facilities available for this project. Thanks to Stephen Powell (NSM), who provided expertise in ceramics, HTML and computers. Thanks to Dr. Stephen Davis (SMU), who provided organization and design ideas throughout the project, as well as moral support.
Text compiled by: Andrea Richardson
Photography by: Andrea Richardson and Stephen Powell
Selected Bibliography of Ceramic References
Barton, K. J. 1977. The Western European Coarse Earthenwares from the Wreck of the Machault. In Canadian Historic Sites. Occasional Papers in Archaeology and History. Ottawa: National Historic Parks and Sites Branch.
Barton, K. J. 1981. Coarse earthenwares from the Fortress of Louisbourg. History and Archaeology 55.Ottawa: National Historic Parks and Sites Branch.
Charleston, R. J. 1979. English Ceramics, 1530-1830: A commemorative catalogue of ceramics and enamels to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the English Ceramic Circle, 1927-1977. London: Sotheby Parker Bernet Publications.
Collard, Elizabeth. 1967. Nineteenth-Century Pottery and Porcelain in Canada. Montreal: McGill University Press.
Cruikshank, Graeme. 1982. Scottish Spongeware. Edinburgh: John Swain Ltd.
Cushion, John Patrick. 1976. Pocketbook of British Ceramic Marks, including index to registered designs, 1842-83. London: Faber and Faber.
Davis, Stephen, Catherine Cottreau and Laird Niven. 1987. Artifacts from Eighteenth Century Halifax. Halifax: Saint Mary's University, Archaeology Laboratory.
Gallo, John. 1985. Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Yellow Ware. Richfield Springs, NY: Heritage Press.
Gusset, Gerard. 1984. Stoneware Containers from Some Canadian Prairie Sites. Parks Canada: Parks Canada Research Bulletin No. 221
Godden, Geoffery A. 1972. T he Handbook of British Pottery and Porcelain Marks. London: Barrie and Jenkins Limited.
Miller, George L. 1980. Classification and Economic Scaling of 19th Century Ceramics. Historical Archaeology. 14: 2-39.
Miller, George L. 1991. A Revised Set of CC Index Values for Classification and Economic Scaling of English Ceramics from 1787 to 1880. Historical Archaeology. 25: 1-23.
Noel Hume, Ivor. 1976. A Guide to Artifacts of Colonial America. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Quimby, Ian M. G. 1973. Ceramics in America. Charlottesville: The University Press of Virginia.
Shepard, Anna Osler. 1956. Ceramics for the Archaeologist. Washington: Carnegie Institution of Washington.
Singer, Felix. 1971. Industrial Ceramics. London: Chapman & Hall.
South, Stanley. 1977. Method and Theory in Historical Archaeology. New York: Academic Press.
Sullivan, Catherine. 1986. Legacy of the Machault: A Collection of 18th-Century Artifacts. Ottawa: Environment Canada.
Sussman, Lynne. 1977. Changes in Pearlware Dinnerware, 1780-1830. Historical Archaeology.11: 105- 112.
Sussman, Lynne. 1979. Spode/Copeland Transfer-Printed Patterns. Canadian Historic Sites: Occasional Papers in Archaeology and History. Ottawa: National Historic Parks and Sites Branch
Sussman, Lynne. 1985. The Wheat Pattern, An Illustrated Survey. Ottawa: Studies in Archaeology, Architecture and History, Parks Canada, Environment Canada.
Troy, Jack. 1977. Salt Glazed Ceramics. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications.
Turnbaugh, Sarah P. 1985. Domestic Pottery of the Northeastern United States, 1625-1850. New York: Academic Press.
Webster, Donald. 1971. Early Canadian Pottery. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart Limited.
Vienneau, Azor. 1969. The Bottle Collector. Halifax: Petheric Press.