Site: 18FR575 Birely Tannery

Context: Lot 60, S 150, E 155, Level 2, Sample unit below 19th-century deposits

Context Date Range: c. 1750-1780

Material: Copper alloy

Width: 0.56” (14.1 mm)

Link Length: Unmeasurable

Description:
Octagonal copper alloy sleeve button with a clover-shaped decoration on its face.  The shank break indicates that the link pulled through the loop with great force. The discovery of the button at a tannery indicates that the break might have occurred while its wearer labored at the site. Although most copper alloys form green corrosion in the ground, this button looked gold when it was found. The brassy color was preserved by the unique soil chemistry of the tannery; leather and wood also survived.