I found an old trash pit and I have a question about it

[Heres_The_Scoop]

So I was metal detecting my grandfather's property where an old house was believed to be. There is a large number of square nails in the soil. I started digging a signal and it kept going deeper and deeper, I had noticed a huge amount of ceramics and glass in the area but I think I found the main pit. There are large clumps of melted glass, ash, plate parts, utensils, and I have even found a few buttons metal(1860's ish navy button) and "plastic". To my question, Is it worth digging up more of the pit or should I not. If anyone has tips or pointers they would be appreciated I'm new to the hobby.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[vpnavy]

1st - I noticed this was your very first post - so, Welcome Aboard Heres_The_Scoop! You didn't list your state (or country) in your profile. So, you might consider jumping over to Sub-Forum: Select Your Area.... for information (i.e., clubs, hunts, finds, legends, maps, etc.) directly related to your state (or country).

2nd - Sure sounds like a place your Grandfather would burn his trash back-in-the-day. I would keep digging - you never know what you will find. Heck, maybe a old coin?

3rd - Since you mentioned nails - here are a few informative articles talking about nails...

University of Vermont - Nails: Clues to a Building's History
Nails provide one of the best clues to help determine the age of historic buildings,
especially those constructed during the nineteenth century...


Nail Chronology - National Park Service

PDF File 1.37MB

The National Park Service in its historic structures restoration
program has developed some research techniques...

The History of Nail Making
History does not record who it was, but the incredible results of that
inspirational moment are all around us - in the houses we live in,
the bridges we cross, the furniture we sit on...


Your Online Source for Identifying Fakes and Reproductions
Nails As Clues to Age
Most everyone knows that handmade nails are older than machine made nails...
​

 

[diggingthe1]

As long as you are finding trash don't stop. It's definitely worth digging up!! Give it an hour, it's amazing how much you can dig when your finding things. Use your shovel slow and you can usually feel glass before you break it. Good luck!!

 

[ARC]

Glad to see the collection being used

 

[ToddsPoint]

Use a potato fork instead of a shovel. You'll damage less stuff. Gary

 

[smokeythecat]

It is probably worth it. Please post a few pics of the ceramics or bottle necks and they can be dated for you!

 

[Trezurehunter]

I would be digging that up until the last piece of trash came out of it ! Good luck.

 

[Heres_The_Scoop]

So I dont have a great picture of the ceramics but I do have a good picture of the buttons I have found as well as the other things like utensils. I haven't had any bottles that are even close to being together, most glass is in a ball from being melted

 

[Heres_The_Scoop]

Here is a picture of one of the nails. it looks to me like a type b cut nail. Thanks for the responses

 

[Ammoman]

Are you sure it’s a Trash pit or the actual location of the house? Maybe the house burned down and you are digging what was not salvaged from the ashes.

 

[Heres_The_Scoop]

I thought that might have been the case... But you never really know if its a burn pit or a burn house. I guess we will see once its nice out again

 

[tokameel]

HTS Welcome to T-Net. Keep posting good questions.