Scrub, Sort, Reveal: Processing the 2025 Sylvester Manor Finds

Though 2025 field season at Sylvester Manor ended in the summer, our work at the New England African American Archeology Lab is far from over. First-year graduate students Alex and Micaela are currently busy in the lab, washing and processing the materials excavated this summer—part of the essential (if less glamorous) post-field phase of archaeological research.

The artifacts they're handling were recovered from the North Lawn area of Sylvester Manor, an area with an intriguing feature that we believe may have been a 19th-century dairy—possibly with an adjacent wash house. Excavations at the site have produced a rich assemblage of materials, including shells, animal bones, nails and glass. Each artifact tells a small part of a larger story, and that story starts to come into clearer focus once the dirt is washed away.

Missed our earlier post? Read about our 2025 Field Season to see how the excavation unfolded." Learn how we process soil samples in our post on Flotation

Some of materials recovered from the 2025 field season.

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Why Post-Fieldwork Matters

While the thrill of uncovering artifacts in the field is undeniable, much of archaeology’s interpretive power lies in what happens afterward. Post-fieldwork—including washing, cataloging, analyzing, and conserving materials—is where archaeologists begin to piece together daily life, labor, and landscape use at historic sites.

Graduate student Micaela Pardue cleaning a nail recovered from the North Lawn at Sylvester Manor.

Cleaning is a deceptively simple step, but it allows archaeologists to see details that may be obscured by dirt or staining—such as manufacturing marks, wear patterns, or decoration. These clues help us date artifacts more precisely, identify their uses, and even link them to broader trade and economic systems.

Graduate student Alexandria Misick sorting out some materials excavated at Sylvester Manor.

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Inside the Lab: Micaela and Alex at Work

For first year graduate student Micaela Pardue, cleaning artifacts is more than just a step in the process—it’s a moment of connection.

“It’s soothing,” Micaela says. “There’s something really satisfying about seeing the details emerge as the dirt comes off. You start to see the object for what it is, and sometimes that changes how you understand the find.”

Graduate students Alexandria Misick and Micaela Pardue cleaning and sorting out materials recovered from Sylvester Manor.

Furthermore, graduate student Alexandria Misick shares her enthusiasm, especially when it comes to washing bones.

“It’s like a puzzle. I love trying to guess which part of the animal it was—sometimes you can even tell what species. That’s when it starts to feel really real, like you’re looking at someone’s dinner from 150 years ago.”

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A Rare Find: A 17th-Century Coin

Among the most exciting objects to come through the lab so far is a coin believed to be from the 17th century. Coins are rare finds on archaeological sites—especially ones with discernible detail—so this particular artifact stands out. While it's still undergoing analysis, the coin may help date some of the earlier activity at Sylvester Manor and help raise new questions about movement, economy, and exchange on Shelter Island.

Graduate student Alexandria Misick holds up a rare 17th-century coin uncovered during the 2025 excavations at Sylvester Manor.

A close-up look at the 17th-century coin recovered from the North Lawn at Sylvester Manor.

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Looking Ahead

As Alex and Micaela continue their work, the rest of the Sylvester Manor team is already looking forward to what these cleaned and cataloged finds will help reveal about the site’s layered past. The North Lawn’s potential function as a dairy or wash house is just one part of a much larger story—one that involves agriculture, industry, and the people who lived and labored on this land.

Stay tuned as we share more from our lab and continue the artefact processing journey from excavation to interpretation.