Pap. NO.' 17 r EXCAVATIONS AT FORT LOOKOUT n — MILLER 67 



GLASS 



Of the 50 fragments of glass recovered either from the surface or 

 from the fill above the uppermost historic level, only a few could 

 be attributed to the actual occupants of this level. All fragments 

 came either from shattered bottles or windowpanes. Two types of 

 window glass are represented. One is an early 19th-century variety 

 which measures 1 mm. in thickness and is colorless. It occurred 

 only in very small pieces within the contact zone. Three fragments 

 of it came from the floor of the uppermost historic level. The 

 other type is a much thicker glass — 3 mm. — of a greenish hue, which 

 was found on the surface. The latter fragments are much larger 

 and there are many more of them. This type was first used during 

 the latter part of the 19th century and is still being manufactured. 



The early chroniclers indicated that windows and doors were 

 rather costly items which whenever an outpost was abandoned 

 were removed and taken to the next station or post. This may 

 account for the paucity of thin window glass within the site itself. 

 If any windows were abandoned, it is certain that many more frag- 

 ments of this type of window glass would have turned up within 

 the deposits from the two historic levels at the time of excavation. 



Shoulder fragments from two small vials were found on the floor 

 of the first historic level, but it has been impossible to determine 

 the actual size or shape of the vials from these fragments. The 

 glass is very thin, 0.5 mm., and colorless, and the surfaces are covered 

 with a thin film of oxidized material which shines with a kind of 

 iridescence. 



Wine bottles, of an olive-green color, are represented in a very 

 fragmentary state. Some pieces show deterioration while others 

 exhibit no change in composition and appear as fresh as when new. 

 A single small, thin fragment of a cobalt-blue bottle was found on the 

 floor of the first historic level. It had undergone a limited amomit 

 of oxidization. Wliether these changes in composition are attribut- 

 able to soil acids in conjunction with wood ashes is not known, but 

 a certain chemical action has taken place that has altered the original 

 surfaces. No glass fragments showed secondary fusing which could 

 have been caused by heat from the burning of the buildings. 



Two ornate light-green glass fragments came from the surface 

 of the site. One bears a series of curvilinear interlocking scrolls 

 adjacent to the base of the container, while the other has a number 

 of undulating parallel ridges running at right angle to the base, 

 (fig. 9). Both pieces were molded and the color and composition are 

 identical to that of the thicker window glass. 



A complete two-sectional molded bottle, 131 mm. high and 49 mm. 

 in body diameter, was picked up from the surface of the site (pi. 16). 



502329—60 6 



