Puzzle jug, redware, American, late-18th century. By examining the material objects excavated in Franklin Court, we can better understand daily life.
Many objects have practical purposes, and social meanings.
For example, upper class Philadelphians asserted their status with costly household items and clothing. Other people selected objects based more on their function and cost. Objects for drinking, dining, leisure, and personal care changed as customs and attitudes evolved. These material items provide insight into behavior in Philadelphia during the late eighteenth-century. Objects function as portholes into the past.