Rookie Question

[CharlesSpurgeon]

Okay, so my basic question is: how can you tell an old dump from a place where someone years ago backfilled an area with old stuff? I hope that question makes sense? Anyway, it seems an actual old dump/bottle dump would be better to dig because the stuff might not be as broken up than a place where they backfilled. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

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[gunsil]

You sort of answered your own question. An old undisturbed dump should have a good percentage of unbroken bottles down deeper. Old fill will have the same debris at all depths. Really old undisturbed dumps are hard to find in many areas, when I was a kid we found a huge one in the woods and shot hundreds for two years until I found out how old they were and dug and sold them. Point being that most on top had been shot or smashed with rocks but a foot or more down there were plenty of nice intact old bottles. If you have a spot with old bottles on the surface dig a test hole three feet across and as deep as you keep finding dumped objects. If you get to a layer with lots of intact bottles you are in the right spot.

 

[TerryC]

EVERY homestead had a dump. Even single homes. Usually downhill or at least away from any water source. Easy to find with a detector. "Backfills" are usually used to fill basement areas. Dumps are never surrounded by brick or rock.... those are old foundations. Again, they are AWAY from the building structures. Wear gloves when pulling the dump stuff apart. Good luck! ╦╦C