7/28/2019 Archaeology in Downtown Portsmouth Lecture by Dr. Kathleen Wheeler June 11, 2013

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Archaeology in Downtown Portsmouth

On June 11th

, Dr Kathleen Wheeler, independent archaeological consultant, will give atalk, Archaeology in Downtown Portsmouth: Discovering the Colonel Joshua

Wentworth Privy. The Piscataqua Decorative Arts Society is holding this lecture at theStoodleys Tavern on Hancock Street across from the Tyco Center at Strawbery BankeMuseum in Portsmouth, NH. The lecture starts at 5:30pm, preceded by refreshments at5pm. The cost to the general public is $10.00, while members are free.

In 2010, Independent Archaeological Consulting (IAC) conducted fieldwork andanalysis for Phase II of the Portwalk project, a mixed-use development being builtdowntown on Hanover St. Using a combination of mechanical and hand excavation, IACdiscovered four privies including one associated with the property of Col. JoshuaWentworth, a prominent eighteenth century merchant and patriot. In the process ofexcavating the privy, archaeologists recovered a dozen glass bottles, among them a green

wine bottle with a glass blob seal marked JOSa WENTWORTH 1773. Thispresentation will review the archaeological findings and will speculate on whose handstouched this bottle. Note that the Joshua Wentworth house, built circa 1770, was savedfrom destruction in 1973 when it was moved from Hanover St., floated down thePiscataqua River and placed in its present location on Hancock St. Dr. Wheeler will beconnecting the objects IAC found, to the objects in todays antique market place.

Kathleen Wheeler has over twenty-five years of experience working in New England,specializing in Post-Contact period archaeology. She exceeds the Secretary of theInteriors Standards for Archaeologists and has completed all levels of archaeologicalinvestigation in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts. Ms. Wheeler holds

a BA in Anthropology from the University of New Hampshire and an MA and PhD inAnthropology from the University of Arizona.

The Piscataqua Decorative Arts Society is a non-profit organization with a mission topromote original historical research resulting in publication. The primary focus is on thegreater Piscataqua region of New Hampshire, and Maine with connecting links toMassachusetts and beyond. For more information, check the website(www.pdasociety.org).

7/28/2019 Archaeology in Downtown Portsmouth Lecture by Dr. Kathleen Wheeler June 11, 2013

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