Ceramics from the American Steamboat Phoenix (1815-1819) and their Role in Understanding Shipboard Life
Lester J. Haddan
Dissertation: May 1995
Chair: Crisman
Ceramics recovered from the steamboat Phoenix are used to examine life aboard an early American passenger steam-driven vessel. The
primary goal of the research is to establish what general type of
surroundings passengers experienced on the ship, whether or not these
surroundings were luxurious or simple, and how they compared to
contemporary life on land. Historical accounts describe the ship as a fine
vessel outfitted with the finest appointments, a vessel fit for presidents
and one which successfully ferried passengers between
Whitehall, New
York and St. John, Quebec for five seasons beginning in 1815 and ending
in 1819 when it was virtually destroyed by fire. The framework for this
examination will be developed by categorizing the ceramics recovered
from the wreck, examining each ceramic type in detail, interpreting the
ceramic distribution from the wreck site, and analyzing the contemporary
ceramic markets with an emphasis on differences between urban and rural
customers. Ceramics from the ship will be illustrated by diagnostic
examples of each category and technical information on ceramic
manufacturing will provide supplemental information. The review of
the ceramic artifacts demonstrates that inexpensive, mass produced
refined earthenware dominates the assemblage. The more elaborately
decorated examples of this ware (transfer-print and hand-painted) are
mostly limited to teawares. Stoneware and coarse earthenware were also
recovered from the wreck and are found to be almost exclusively limited
to food storage and preparation vessels. The results of this examination
will demonstrate that in at least one aspect of life, dining styles, the ship
was similar to contemporary rural homes, inns, or taverns.