Some Info Please

[jgas]

Well since this was out first "Official" bottle dig I have a few questions that I am hoping you might share som insight on.
The pics posted show a few of the bottles that we found. I asked the question in a previous post about the Root Beer Extract. My other questions are, Does this look like a Privy or just a dump or could it be both?? We dug down around 6 feet and hit a layer of rocky sandy soil. Dug even deeper and this soil kept going. Not sure what to look for by way of Clay Cap, ash, etc... We found most of the stuff at around 3 to 4 feet. One bottle that was broken and has a Pontiled bottom was around 5 feet deep.
It has the partial words of Race &, Don's, Er Proof Polish. the bottle is dark green. Not sure what or where that was made. Just wondering if this was "capped" off by all the trash. This was a C. 1873 home site. Would there be other Privies or trash sites here in the general area? We tried to probe several depressions and it was the same old questions popping up, pretty soft here and there but should we dig. It's in the woods obviously about 100 feet behind the original home. I know, alot of questions, but I would really like some help to see if I'm on the right track here. Thanks for any and all replies.

[gleaner1]

A good probe will "ring" when it hits glass. Privies are notoriously difficult to find. The goods will be in the privies, but I recommend you find the bottle dump with a metal detector. You will find many, many more bottles from the dump than from the privy, especially in the rural areas. I have tried to find privies from old 1850's foundations and still can't nail one. I know of a guy that pulled a $1000 flask from an old privy, within the city limits. They were excavating for a house addition, hit the old privy hole, made it look easy.

[River Rat]

Have no clue if it's a dump or a privy...just wanted to compliment you on that beautiful root beer bottle.
I did find some info on it, will post it on your other post.

RR