Help with my first privy

[Showtime2385]

We started digging out what we believed to be a privy today. Our first by the way. Cellar hole in the middle an obvious well in the front and in the back a more square shaped layout of stones maybe 3 feet by 2 feet where we are digging. We have only found small shards of glass and pieces of pottery and an axe head all down about 4 1/2 to 5 feet. the cellar hole dates between the late 1700's to mid 1800's. Odd part is we didn't get into any sort of bottles yet. Are we not deep enough yet? Did we get beat to the hole? Does anyone have experience digging out holes this old? Thanks for any help guys.

 

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[ucvrelics.com]

Ive dug them as deep as 7 feet here in Alabama but we have a different soil, with that rocky soil I see they should not be much deeper. I would go a few more feet and if you don't find glass its not a privy.

 

[Showtime2385]

It seems to be rock lined the way down and I can see voids or cavities in the rock walls while digging it out where it would have been filled in. If I wasn't finding the shards that I was and the axe head I would have given up a lot sooner. Ill give it a few more feet as you mentioned.

 

[cje]

Have you tried using a probe? If it was an outhouse once you get through the cap the probe will go in pretty easily.

 

[Bass]

Keep digging, it's too soon to give up

 

[villagenut]

A probe is an absolute MUST. It can help you decide whether to pursue a deeper hole or not.

 

[Showtime2385]

Don't have a probe. It has been hard packed and rocks the whole way but bits have turned up to keep us going that far. I had to use my hand pick to chisel out the axe head. I know that's not typical from videos I've seen. Is it because it's so old?

 

[cje]

The cap would often be hard to dig through and can be quite rocky. From your pictures that doesn't really look like a stone lined privy.

 

[bottles10]

That doesn't look like any privy hole to me and if it was you should be finding signs of night soil. Night soil will be a layer of soil with tons of very small what looks like tomato seeds .Almost what ever you find in them stones will likely be Brocken. interesting dig but a lot of work for pieces

 

[Showtime2385]

All of the stones you see around us on top were taken out of the walls to prevent them from caving in. I may just give it another foot or two then call it.