The Adam Park Project

Item Information:

Catalogue Number: 17/02/005 Source: TAPP Archaeology Surveys Location: 17 Adam Park Report No: Report No.7 Artifact Type: Personal Kit Production Date: 2010-08-12 00:00:00 Dimensions of Item: 240mm x 160mm Copyright with The Adam Park Project

Other Description:

The most impressive find unearthed at No.17 was a British water bottle. This item was excavated at a depth of 12cms and alongside a webbing buckle. It was recovered in close proximity to a spade blade.

Historic Context:

There was no sign of the cork bung that is usually fitted into the neck of the bottle. The underside of the bottle was corroded and perforated at one spot. The water bottle would have had a felt cover and supported on the webbing waist belt by a harness or slung over the shoulder on a strap. It was common for troops to carry a second bottle in their knapsack. The current speculation is that this must have belonged to a Cambridgeshire soldier and lost during the fighting; as a POW with few possessions would be careful not to lose such an item. The fact that it was unearthed near the entrenching tool and amongst a selection of webbing buckles suggests that it was lost as part of a single set of webbing.