Two different types of vessels have been identified as Hessian Refractory ware in the Jamestown collection. Predominant among them are crucibles, beaker — or triangular-shaped ceramics that were used in metallurgical activity on the site. Production of high-quality refractory vessels began in the 12th century in today’s town of Grossalmerode in the German region of Hesse. Analysis of ceramic sherds in the Jamestown assemblage has confirmed that the crucibles brought to Jamestown were manufactured in Hesse, and at least three vessels are stamped on the base with the mark of Peter Topfer, a crucible maker who worked in Grossalmerode. The vessels were widely exported from Germany beginning around 1500, and were likely brought to Virginia by skilled European craftsmen before 1610 to find and refine metals and to produce glass.
One large vessel is identified as a melting pot. Covered on the interior and exterior with thick residues, this large ceramic may have been part of similar metallurgical or glassmaking efforts on the site.
To learn more about each of these vessel forms and their use at Jamestown, click on the Selected Artifact images below.
Attributes
Fabric: James Fort crucibles have a dense, buff- to dark gray-colored fabric that contains a copious amount of quartz and some hematite. The quartz inclusions are readily visible on the vessel surfaces, which lends a sandpaper-like appearance and feel.
The melting pot has a dense purplish-brown fabric with abundant quartz sand inclusions, some appearing white, and a few fissures containing glass.
Glaze: Both the crucibles and the melting pot are unglazed.
Decoration: Both the crucibles and the melting pot are undecorated.
Form: Crucibles are either beaker-shaped (conical) with a single pouring spout or triangular, a shape which provides three pouring spouts.
Beakers occur in three general sizes. They have thick, flat bases; thickly potted walls that flare outward toward the rim; and slightly everted rims with a pinched pouring spout. A horizontal tool mark appears below the exterior rim.
Triangular shaped crucibles also occur in three general sizes. They have thick flat bases, and thin, out-flaring walls with straight rims.
The large melting pot is represented by only rim and body sherds. The vessel walls are just over an inch thick, and the pot measured at least 10.6″ in diameter at the rim, but the lack of base sherds makes a total size and vessel shape difficult to determine.
selected artifacts
Crucible with Glass
Triangular Crucible
sources
Martinón-Torres, Marcos (2005) Chemistry and Crucibles in the Renaissance Laboratory. PhD Thesis. University of London.
Martinón-Torres, Marcos and Thilo Rehren (2005) Alchemy, Chemistry and Metallurgy in Renaissance Europe. Historical Metallurgy 39(1): 14-28.
Veronesi, Umberto (2021) Archaeology and the Alchemical Laboratory. PhD Thesis. University College London.
