Site: 18FR575 Birely Tannery
Context: Lot 73, S 150, E 175, Level 3, Sample unit below 19th-century deposits
Context Date Range: c. 1750-1780
Material: Copper alloy
Width: 0.59” (14.8 mm)
Link Length: 0.6” (15.3 mm)
Description:
Octagonal copper alloy sleeve buttons with decoration in a circle within circles pattern. One shank has worn through. 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.