Detected A Cellar Hole in Antrim, NH Today.

[thecolonel]

Today, we headed west to Antrim, NH to help a friend move some things to a storage facility. As we were leaving the old dirt driveway, I noticed over the old stone wall, what appeared to be a cellar hole. I asked if I could detect it when we got back. My wifes friend told me that would be fine. She told me that as far as she knew, nobody had ever showed interest in it, We we got back from our errand, I hurried over to the cellar hole and was disappointed to see that the hole itself was still deep BUT filled with newly cut tree limbs and brush. Lots of it. I began detecting the surrounding ground which was surprisingly clear of layers of pine needles and lacking the usual years of decay. My first target was a penny signal. I dug it in hopes of finding a coin of any sort. It turned out to be a shoe buckle at 5 inches. Then, a few feet away, a cuff button that had a back mark that reads "BEST QUALITY". Then some hand wrought nails, a table knife and other misc. relics. I was somewhat disappointed that no coins turned up. But there is always next time.

 

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[HutSiteDigger]

You should really dig that cellar or trash pit out archaeology style! Are you seeing lot of ash in the dirt? Chances are there are plenty of goodies 2-4 feet deep! Good luck with it! and be on the look out for full bottles!!!

 

[thecolonel]

The amazing thing about this hole was it was almost down to original depth and the button still had a small amount of cloth and thread attached. The soil was not acidic in any way. It was clean. BUT NO COINS! There is so much tree limbs and brush dumped in there it was disappointing. All my finds came from the surrounding surface.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

I will give you some insight on IMO stuff about this cellar hole you found and may understand what I am saying or not and I do not have photos of what you think is a cellar hole but digging a bunch of cellar holes myself here is alittle info..

You have too think that when that cellar/trash pit was there over 170+ years ALOT has happened during that time. The area it was in the earth has changed x100, people over that many years could have done who knows what with that area post time period of when that cellar hole/trash pit was there. They could have pushed a bunch of dirt in the main spot of cellar and then the cellar hole type layout you are seeing is just the start. Just because you see a big dip in the ground or large hole that indicates it could have been a cellar/trash pit and you start digging into it, chances are you are not actually digging in the exact exact spot! of the cellar hole/trash pit! It could be 5-10 feet to the right or left or could even be 5-10 feet down of the dip or hole you see. Deep Deep down.

There is GOT too be artifacts around the cellar hole if it is virgin ground (unless most of the artifacts were taken or it was cleaned up post cellar hole time period), more then likely the people back 170+ years ago lived in that spot for a good amount of time and used that cellar hole daily.

A good cellar hole and a typical cellar hole is going too have LOADS of broken pottery and glass in it and also oyster shells!!! and you will see small amounts of deterioration of brick or hit into stone THEN you know you are very close too home and mainly you will dig up a bunch of nails/iron ALL in the same SMALL AREA and then once you dig the iron/nails out, you start digging deeper and deeper and you will hit more iron/nails, then you just keep on digging and digging around it deep and deep (EVEN if you DO NOT get any signals) you just keep digging and digging that area out and follow the broken pottery/glass or ash (lot of people what do I mean by ash? it is just something you have too see and learn from experience anyone that has dug hut-sites/trash pits/cellar holes,etc will know about the ash I am talking about).. The bottles and good stuff are always deep in the ground mainly 3-5 feet deep and all within the same small area like the size of a bathroom and it can range from 20 too 1,000+ artifacts all in that same small area.

Then again 70% of your average relic hunter will not try and dig a area out like that and property owners need to be notified,etc they may allow for metal detecting but most will not allow you to dig a big hole kinda like archaeology style but some will if you are professional about it,etc.

So I would say you are close too a good good find in that area you are hunting. I bet there are coins/buckle or two and intact bottles around that area and also maybe even intact pottery but they are going too be very deep, deeper than any metal detector is going to go and normally all the good stuff are all within the small small area like about the size of a bathroom or something.. Good luck!

 

[thecolonel]

Thanks for your valuable insight HSD. It is indeed a cellar hole. Wish I had taken a photo. 5' of exposed stone wall still exists on all four sides. There was shards of broken dishware and glass around the site. Definately a cellar hole. There was no collapse of any of the walls except a small area to the west wall. I need to go back and spend a few days clearing the brush and tree limbs tossed in by the land owner. It is void of all modern trash. I know there has got to be coins there as well as other possible items. This has me stymied though. Thanks for the info. Tom