Cramp Bumm

Property History 1018 Palmer St The Cramp/Bumm Site was located at the former 1018 Palmer Street property, now part of the PennDOT right-of-way along the southbound side of the roadway. At the time of the initial excavation, the site was situated on a 10-foot-wide, flat, grassy tract of land that abruptly transitioned into a steeply

Several artifacts recovered from this feature represent remnants of fashion accessories and period timepieces. While fabric seldom survives, other pieces of evidence—such as ivory handles and metal hardware—suggest an awareness of fashion among the residents of this household. Parasol Parts Two hand-carved pieces recovered from this feature appear to be parts from parasols—primarily used by

ARCHAEOLOGY AT THECRAMP/BUMM SITE 1018 PALMER ST The Cramp/Bumm Site was located at the former 1018 Palmer Street property, now part of the PennDOT right-of-way along the southbound side of the roadway. At the time of the initial excavation, the site was situated on a 10-foot-wide, flat, grassy tract of land that abruptly transitioned into

Items associated with the architectural structure of the house at 1018 Palmer Street comprise nearly 20% of the recovered artifacts. In addition to large amounts of fragmented window glass, corroded iron nails, and bits of mortar, there are several artifacts that stand out amid the more commonplace pieces of construction and demolition debris. Beveled Glass

Four of the artifacts from this feature can be directly linked to oral hygiene practices in the nineteenth century. The artifacts consist of two bottles of teeth-cleaning products and the handles from two toothbrushes. Although few in number, these artifacts provide a glimpse at the dental products available as the business of caring for teeth

Most of the ceramic vessels excavated from this privy feature constitute the table, tea, serving, and food-storage vessels commonly used in many homes during the mid-nineteenth through early twentieth centuries. Although somewhat plain and lacking in color, the volume of material recovered and the completeness of the vessel forms calls for further examination. Also of

Standing Salt or Fancy Pomade The origins and specific function of this small glass container remain a bit of a mystery. To date, the manufacturer of this style of decorated container—along with the name or model number of the pattern—remains unknown. Several similar containers make up part of the collections of the Corning Museum of

Prior to advances in refrigeration and freezing of fruits and vegetables, the summer abundance was preserved through various methods in different types of containers. Several glass vessels recovered from this feature show the types of containers available and offer a look at some of the improvements in food storage by the end of the nineteenth

Mixed among the common types of household glassware were several unexpected finds—a glass cane, flip flops, a piece from a Jacob’s ladder, and dish made from a glass tumbler. Glass whimsies are items that were not part of the regular production of a glassworks. The whimsies recovered from this site were likely produced at one

The growing emphasis on personal appearance and fashion throughout the nineteenth century resulted in the introduction of a variety of hair products. Advertisements claimed these products covered gray or thinning locks and restored hair in cases of baldness. Hair Products Among the assorted bottles and vials excavated from this feature were nine bottles with embossed

Three artifacts are related to a domestic ritual that typically absorbed at least one full day out of each week—the laundry. The women and domestic help in a household primarily performed this task. Depending on the number of people living in a house, the related tasks might consume two to three days each week. In

A large number of medicine bottles were recovered from this shaft feature. Many of these bottles contained information that helped to identify the different medicines that the occupants of this household relied on to prevent and treat various illnesses and recurring symptoms. Medicinal bottles can be divided into two main groups: druggist bottles and patent

The front room, parlor, or sitting room was the space used for entertaining guests. This room was often decorated in the latest fashion with the intention of impressing visitors. Some of the recovered artifacts represent objects, both functional and ornamental, that might have been used or displayed in the parlor at 1018 Palmer. Marble Glass

Artifacts representing the presence of pets in a nineteenth-century household are often difficult to distinguish from other domestic objects. Period newspapers document the popularity of cage birds in Philadelphia—particularly song birds, such as canaries and mockingbirds. Bird Cage Baths Two small dishes—one made of glass and the other ceramic—are similar in size and oval shaped

Among the broken bottle glass and fragments of drinking vessels recovered from this feature were remnants of 21 artifacts that mark the advances in home lighting that occurred during the nineteenth century. People living in this period witnessed a series of changes that brightened their home life, as lighting progressed from the flicker of candlelight

Due to the volume of glass tableware recovered from this shaft feature, the topic is divided into two sections. This section discusses the variety of tableware forms that are not related to drinking vessels. Among the glass tableware were several cruets and caster bottles, salt or pepper shakers, and assorted, mismatched dishes and lids. Where

A large number of glass drinking vessels—including tumblers, stemware, and pitchers—were recovered from this shaft feature. Due to the volume of material, this section is devoted to drinking vessels; other types of glass tableware are discussed separately. Tumblers From among the fragmentary drinking vessels, we were able to mend examples of 37 colorless glass tumblers,

Several perfume and cologne bottles were recovered during the excavation of this shaft feature. Colognes and perfumes could be purchased by the bottle from perfumers, local druggists, and, later, via mail-order catalogs such as Montgomery Ward and Sears, Roebuck & Co. The contents of these bottles was long gone, either emptied or evaporated, and any

Clay tobacco pipes are commonly found on eighteenth- and nineteenth-century archaeological sites.1 The recovery of six white clay stem fragments from this shaft provides the only evidence of tobacco use among the occupants of this household. All of the fragments appear to originate from integral-stem pipes, made as single units with the bowls and stems

Assorted artifacts related to writing were recovered from the shaft feature behind 1018 Palmer Street. These implements provide evidence of the importance of writing as a means of communication in business and personal matters throughout the nineteenth century. Slate Tablet and Pencils This broken writing tablet and slate pencils may have been used by the