DOCSLIB.ORG

Early 19Th Century Planting Pots from Gore Place, Waltham, Massachusetts Rita A

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Early 19Th Century Planting Pots from Gore Place, Waltham, Massachusetts Rita A University of Massachusetts Boston ScholarWorks at UMass Boston Graduate Masters Theses Doctoral Dissertations and Masters Theses 8-2010 "A Good Sized Pot": Early 19th Century Planting Pots from Gore Place, Waltham, Massachusetts Rita A. DeForest University of Massachusetts Boston Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.umb.edu/masters_theses Part of the Archaeological Anthropology Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation DeForest, Rita A., ""A Good Sized Pot": Early 19th Century Planting Pots from Gore Place, Waltham, Massachusetts" (2010). Graduate Masters Theses. Paper 16. This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Doctoral Dissertations and Masters Theses at ScholarWorks at UMass Boston. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at UMass Boston. For more information, please contact [email protected]. “A GOOD SIZED POT”: EARLY 19TH CENTURY PLANTING POTS FROM GORE PLACE, WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS A Thesis Presented by RITA A. DEFOREST Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, University of Massachusetts Boston, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS August 2010 Historical Archaeology Program © 2010 by Rita A. DeForest All rights reserved “A GOOD SIZED POT”: EARLY 19TH CENTURY PLANTING POTS FROM GORE PLACE, WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS A Thesis Presented by RITA A. DEFOREST Approved as to style and content by: ____________________________________________ Christa Beranek, Project Archaeologist Chairperson of Committee ____________________________________________ Stephen Mrozowski, Professor Member ____________________________________________ Heather Trigg, Senior Scientist Member __________________________________________ Stephen Silliman, Program Director Historical Archaeology Program __________________________________________ Stephen Mrozowski, Chairperson Anthropology Department ABSTRACT “A GOOD SIZED POT”: EARLY 19TH CENTURY PLANTING POTS FROM GORE PLACE, WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS August 2010 Rita A. DeForest, B.S., Bridgewater State College M.A., University of Massachusetts Boston Directed by Christa Beranek This thesis looked at the elite status of cultivating gentlemen at the site of the Gore Place greenhouse through the medium of planting pots. The goal of this thesis was to analyze the planting pot remains and to subsequently answer three questions: what kinds of activities were performed in the greenhouse, who was conducting those activities, and most importantly, how they played in to Christopher Gore’s self presentation as having elite status. This project analyzed over 2,000 pot sherds found during the excavation of the 1806 Gore Place greenhouse. The outcome of a minimum vessel count of the planting pots resulted in 150 distinct vessels exhibiting six different rim styles, in a wide range of sizes, shapes and decoration. The results of the research show that while gentlemen farmers applied their agricultural ideals on their fields, they iv also extended those principles to the activities within the greenhouse. The intensive horticultural activities conducted within the greenhouse are reflected archaeologically by the presence of specific pot styles associated with propagation. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many people whom I would like to thank for helping me, first of all Dr. Christa Beranek, my thesis advisor, for having endless patience, conducting crash courses in Excel, Photoshop, Illustrator, assisting me with the move from PC to Mac, and for answering all of my miscellaneous questions. She is an excellent teacher and mentor. Heartfelt thanks go to my two readers, Dr. Stephen Mrozowski and Dr. Heather Trigg. Thank you both for taking the time to read this at a busy time of the year, I appreciate it and all of your support. Thank you to Stephen Silliman for always following through with and resolving all of my last minute crises as well as your support. Thanks to Melody Henkel for painstakingly photographing all the little bits of planting pots. I am also much obliged to the Fiske Center for Archeological Research, its kind staff and for allowing me to use their resources. I’d like to thank the Gore Place Society for providing me the opportunity to work with the collection. I’m appreciative of the Weston Historical Society for showing me their Hews Pottery collection, in particular Pam Fox and Mary Gregory. I’m thankful for the assistance I received from the research librarian at Old Sturbridge Village, and especially for helping me find a hidden gem. I am also very grateful to the Arnold Arboretum research library, the Massachusetts Historical Society, and the Golden Ball Tavern. I would also like to thank Vivian Sinder-Brown, research historian, for her helpful correspondence and research hints and tidbits. vi I would never have been able to complete this thesis without the support of my family. A huge thank you to my husband Brian for supporting my decision to take a year off of work to have dedicated time to work on this thesis without cutting in to my time with my daughter, Olivia Mai. Thank you to my mother and mother-in-law for watching Olivia while I was late at school or the library, and sometimes on short notice. Many thanks to my brother Karl for editing parts of my “book.” Thank you to my mother and father for always being supportive in whatever I choose to do, even when it sounds far- fetched. To my sister and brother who inspire me to be a better scholar, its really hard “keeping up” with them. Perekonale, ma armastan teid. I’d also like to give thanks for great classmates, past and present, and not limited to those I mention specifically. Lindsay Randall for all the helpful tips on formatting and the emergency signatory page questions. For Ciana Meyers for the emergency cut and paste tutorial. For Kate Descoteaux for agreeing to defend with me. Also for my two “school friends” Susan Jacobucci and Adrienne Edwards, whom I met in my first archaeology class at Bridgewater State College and have since become very dear friends. Lastly, I would like to thank all my family and friends for understanding when I couldn’t do anything fun because of deadlines and especially for believing in me when I didn’t. It’s done! vii DEDICATION I dedicate this work to two little ones, to my daughter Olivia Mai who is my love and my happiness and to my sweet nephew Madis Eero who lives so far away and I dearly miss. Ma armastan teid. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................... vi DEDICATION............................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES......................................................................................... xii LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER Page 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................... 1 Chapter Outline...................................................................... 5 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ............................................ 8 Cultivating Gentlemen........................................................... 8 Horticultural Endeavors................................................... 10 Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture .......... 11 Brief Summery of Gore Place.......................................... 13 The Greenhouse ..................................................................... 14 Terminology..................................................................... 14 A Brief Greenhouse History up to the Early 19th Century............................................................................. 20 The Archaeology of the Gore Place Greenhouse............. 23 Comparison to other Sites .................................................... 26 3. POTTERY PRODUCTION AND SOURCING.......................... 28 Production.............................................................................. 28 Handmade vs. Pottery Molding Machine ........................ 28 The Pot Shop.................................................................... 30 Forming the Vessel .......................................................... 30 Decoration........................................................................ 31 The Kiln ........................................................................... 33 Sourcing................................................................................. 34 Dating Redware ............................................................... 34 Source of the Planting Pots.............................................. 34 4. METHODS AND RESULTS ...................................................... 38 Methods ................................................................................. 38 Results.................................................................................... 40 Rim Styles........................................................................ 43 ix CHAPTER Page Flanged Rim............................................................... 43 Rolled Rim................................................................. 44 Square or Collared Rim ............................................. 45 Straight Rim............................................................... 47 Double Rim................................................................ 48 Ruffled Rim ..............................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Growing the Green Way Class Series
    Growing the Green Way Class Series 2019 Class Locations : CLASSES ARE FREE Cooperative Extension Office, 3309 Burlington Road, G’boro, NC 27405 Pre-Registration Is Requested Glenn McNairy Branch Library, 4860 Lake Jeanette Road, G’boro 27455 Greensboro Arboretum (Ed Center), 401 Ashland Drive, G’boro 27403 To register for your choice of session and location: Kathleen Clay Edwards Library, 1420 Price Park Road, G’boro, NC 27410 http://go.ncsu.edu/growing_green_way Call 336-641-2400 * Programs are designed to be approximately one hour long, but may Or Email Lauren Taubert at: run slightly over depending on questions and discussion - which are [email protected] encouraged! PLANNING THE 3-SEASON VEGETABLE GARDEN Vegetable gardening is especially rewarding in the Tuesday, Jan 8th 6:30 pm Cooperative Extension Piedmont because we can grow food at least 10 months of the year! The key is good planning and Thursday Jan. 10th 6:30 pm Glenn McNairy Branch Library succession planting. January is the perfect time to Monday, Jan. 14th 6:30 pm Kathleen Clay Edwards Library start getting ready; let’s talk about the simple ways to get the most out of your personal planting space. Sunday, Jan. 20th 4:00 pm Greensboro Arboretum PROPER PRUNING PREVENTS POOR PLANT PERFORMANCE The art of pruning does not mean shearing shrubs Tuesday, Jan. 22nd 6:30 pm Cooperative Extension into green meatballs (yikes!). Our discussion will th cover the tools, techniques, and especially the timing Thursday, Jan. 24 6:30 pm Glenn McNairy Branch Library for pruning small ornamental trees and shrubs. Sunday, Jan.
    [Show full text]
  • The History and Development of Groves in English Formal Gardens
    This is a repository copy of The history and development of groves in English formal gardens. White Rose Research Online URL for this paper: http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/120902/ Version: Accepted Version Book Section: Woudstra, J. orcid.org/0000-0001-9625-2998 (2017) The history and development of groves in English formal gardens. In: Woudstra, J. and Roth, C., (eds.) A History of Groves. Routledge , Abingdon, Oxon , pp. 67-85. ISBN 978-1-138-67480-6 Reuse Items deposited in White Rose Research Online are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved unless indicated otherwise. They may be downloaded and/or printed for private study, or other acts as permitted by national copyright laws. The publisher or other rights holders may allow further reproduction and re-use of the full text version. This is indicated by the licence information on the White Rose Research Online record for the item. Takedown If you consider content in White Rose Research Online to be in breach of UK law, please notify us by emailing [email protected] including the URL of the record and the reason for the withdrawal request. [email protected] https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/ The history and development of groves in English formal gardens (1600- 1750) Jan Woudstra It is possible to identify national trends in the development of groves in gardens in England from their inception in the sixteenth century as so-called wildernesses. By looking through the lens of an early eighteenth century French garden design treatise, we can trace their rise to popularity during the second half of the seventeenth and early eighteenth century to their gradual decline as a garden feature during the second half of the eighteenth century.
    [Show full text]
  • The RHS Lindley Library IBRARY L INDLEY RHS, L
    Occasional Papers from The RHS Lindley Library IBRARY L INDLEY RHS, L VOLUME NINE DECEMBER 2012 The history of garden history Cover illustration: Engraved illustration of the gardens at Versailles, from Les Jardins: histoire et description by Arthur Mangin (c.1825–1887), published in 1867. Occasional Papers from the RHS Lindley Library Editor: Dr Brent Elliott Production & layout: Richard Sanford Printed copies are distributed to libraries and institutions with an interest in horticulture. Volumes are also available on the RHS website (www. rhs.org.uk/occasionalpapers). Requests for further information may be sent to the Editor at the address (Vincent Square) below, or by email (brentelliottrhs.org.uk). Access and consultation arrangements for works listed in this volume The RHS Lindley Library is the world’s leading horticultural library. The majority of the Library’s holdings are open access. However, our rarer items, including many mentioned throughout this volume, are fragile and cannot take frequent handling. The works listed here should be requested in writing, in advance, to check their availability for consultation. Items may be unavailable for various reasons, so readers should make prior appointments to consult materials from the art, rare books, archive, research and ephemera collections. It is the Library’s policy to provide or create surrogates for consultation wherever possible. We are actively seeking fundraising in support of our ongoing surrogacy, preservation and conservation programmes. For further information, or to request an appointment, please contact: RHS Lindley Library, London RHS Lindley Library, Wisley 80 Vincent Square RHS Garden Wisley London SW1P 2PE Woking GU23 6QB T: 020 7821 3050 T: 01483 212428 E: library.londonrhs.org.uk E : library.wisleyrhs.org.uk Occasional Papers from The RHS Lindley Library Volume 9, December 2012 B.
    [Show full text]
  • Biodegradable Flowerpots
    Yard and Garden – 02-11-2017 - Ted Griess / Extension Horticulture Assistant In March of 2015, I wrote about the single-use, plastic bag; a serious waste pollution problem. Unfortunately, since then, little has changed regarding this crisis. With the countryside now void of crops, one does not have to look far to see this ugly form of pollution fluttering in the wind as these throw-away bags cling to crop stubble and other remnants of vegetation. For decades, single-use plastic bags have generated an aesthetic problem and of late have become a bigger problem in landfills and throughout waterways. The majority of these bags are non-biodegradable. When something is classified as non-biodegradable, it means the materials from which it is made cannot be broken down into their base compounds by microorganisms, air, and moisture in a reasonable amount of time. Thus, it can take thousands of years before these bags will completely decompose. Such waste is a critical environmental concern. Did you know that we gardeners have become a major contributor to another environmental problem, also involving non-biodegradable materials? Imagine for a moment, as spring draws near, you are dreaming of kneeling by your flower border, removing new seedling plants from their flowerpots and planting them. With eager anticipation, you continue to dream about how these new plants will soon beautify your landscape. Herein lies the problem― how do you dispose of the flowerpots? Most disposable flowerpots are made of non-biodegradable, petroleum-based plastic materials, and most will likely end up in the landfill as garbage.
    [Show full text]
  • APRIL 2019 Stories Start Here $ 99 Reg 4,499 Sale $3,49999 SAVE $1000 Innovative Full-Frame Stacked CMOS Sensor with Integral Memory
    A PRODUCT OF THE COLUMBIAN’S ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT APRIL 2019 stories start here $ 99 REG 4,499 SALE $3,49999 SAVE $1000 Innovative full-frame stacked CMOS sensor with integral memory. The first to use high- speed stacked design, its 24.2-megapixel full-frame image sensor temporarily stores large-volume data in the integral memory. REG $3,19999 SALE $2,79999 SAVE $400 A new world of imaging with resolution, sensitivity, dynamic range, processing speed, and shooting response further enhanced. The a7R III packs pro-style operability into a strong, compact body with 42.4-megapixel giving you flexibility to take brilliant shots in any situation. $ 99 BODY 1,999 BODY + $ 99 28-70 mm 2,199 With outstanding imaging capability and high- speed performance contained in a compact body, the a7 III gives you the power, precision, and flexibility to capture once-in-a-lifetime moments just as you like. Visit us at | www.prophotosupply.com STORE > 1112 NW 19th Avenue | 503-241-1112 PHOTO LAB > 1815 NW Northrup Street | 503-517-3639 EVENT CENTER > 18th & NW Northrup Street RENTAL > 1801 NW Northrup Street | 503-517-3637 2 | APRIL 2019 4 CONTENTS 18 Defining “The Couve” If you’re new to Vancouver USA, you may hear locals casually dropping reference to a mysterious entity known only as “The Couve.” What could it be, you wonder—a local hangout? A delicious French breakfast pastry? A secret society accessible only via speakeasy? Let us solve this riddle for you: The Couve (rhymes with ‘move’) is a nickname for Vancouver. Unlike many nicknames though, the history and character go beyond mere nomenclature substitution and represent a newly 32 embraced identity.
    [Show full text]
  • WILLIAMSBURG GARDEN CLUB Williamsburg 93
    HOSTED BY THE WILLIAMSBURG GARDEN CLUB Williamsburg 93 TICKET PRICE INCLUDES ADMISSION TO THE FOLLOWING 6 SITES: Benjamin Powell Garden tavern, lodging house, store and gunsmith’s 109 North Waller Street shop. The simple but quaint garden plan consists of curved geometric beds over- The small pleasure garden between the flowing with a variety of plants that change house and the office has a brick path that color with the seasons. An ornamental crisscrosses four parterres planted with summerhouse features a basket-weave ferns and small bulbs. The vertical scale brick pattern. The property is surrounded of the garden is attained with flowering by a yaupon hedge. dogwoods and ancient crepe myrtles. Large, shoulder-high oakleaf hydrangeas encircle Palmer House and Garden the gardens. A kitchen garden is posi- 420 East Duke of Gloucester Street tioned behind the pleasure garden and features period vegetables and herbs in an One of Colonial Williamsburg’s 88 origi- early version of “companion planting.” nal 18th century buildings, this two-story brick home was built by John Palmer, a Christiana Campbell’s Tavern lawyer and bursar at William & Mary, after a smaller home on the property burned Photos courtesy of Laura Viancour and Colonial Williamsburg Garden, 101 South Waller Street down in 1754. The house was substantially Mrs. Campbell acquired the property in enlarged during the Civil War and was oc- 1774, and it has provided welcoming ac- cupied as headquarters by both General commodations for dining as well as lodg- Joseph Johnston of the Confederate Army ing for two and a half centuries.
    [Show full text]
  • Perennials for Winter Gardens Perennials for Winter Gardens
    TheThe AmericanAmerican GARDENERGARDENER® TheThe MagazineMagazine ofof thethe AAmericanmerican HorticulturalHorticultural SocietySociety November / December 2010 Perennials for Winter Gardens Edible Landscaping for Small Spaces A New Perspective on Garden Cleanup Outstanding Conifers contents Volume 89, Number 6 . November / December 2010 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 5 NOTES FROM RIVER FARM 6 MEMBERS’ FORUM 8 NEWS FROM THE AHS Boston’s garden contest grows to record size, 2011 AHS President’s Council trip planned for Houston, Gala highlights, rave reviews for Armitage webinar in October, author of article for The American Gardener receives garden-writing award, new butterfly-themed children’s garden installed at River Farm. 12 2010 AMERICA IN BLOOM AWARD WINNERS Twelve cities are recognized for their community beautification efforts. 42 ONE ON ONE WITH… David Karp: Fruit detective. page 26 44 HOMEGROWN HARVEST The pleasures of popcorn. EDIBLE LANDSCAPING FOR SMALL SPACES 46 GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK 14 Replacing pavement with plants in San BY ROSALIND CREASY Francisco, soil bacterium may boost cognitive With some know-how, you can grow all sorts of vegetables, fruits, function, study finds fewer plant species on and herbs in small spaces. earth now than before, a fungus-and-virus combination may cause honeybee colony collapse disorder, USDA funds school garden CAREFREE MOSS BY CAROLE OTTESEN 20 program, Park Seed sold, Rudbeckia Denver Looking for an attractive substitute for grass in a shady spot? Try Daisy™ wins grand prize in American moss; it’ll grow on you. Garden Award Contest. 50 GREEN GARAGE® OUTSTANDING CONIFERS BY RITA PELCZAR 26 A miscellany of useful garden helpers. This group of trees and shrubs is beautiful year round, but shines brightest in winter.
    [Show full text]
  • A Christ-Centered Garden a Quick Glance at the History of Gardening
    A Christ-Centered Garden A quick glance at the history of gardening in the United States reveals the vital role of the home garden as a means of achieving household security and economic independence. As the United States moved from an agrarian to an industrialized society in the 19th century, the apothecary’s garden of Plymouth, Abigail Adams’ domain during the Revolutionary War, and the Victory Gardens of WW I and WW II were forgotten much to our national detriment. On a personal level, as we distanced ourselves from nature, we simultaneously and unwittingly distanced ourselves from nature’s God. It is my desire through this document to encourage a return to personal responsibility for our food sources and a renewed focus on the Gardener of our souls. A garden is ever particular to the people it serves and its location. This garden supports a family of 6 and produces spare to share with friends, family, and the needy. As it is located on the tundra of the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska, it has one major advantage and several disadvantages. While this land boasts magnificent-sized vegetables due to excessively long summer days, variety of produce and seed saving are limited by a short 3 month growing season. Furthermore, the long dark winter months and generally cold climate prevent the success of most perennial food crops (such as grains, asparagus, herbs, artichokes, fruit and nut trees) and most perennial flowers. Thankfully, there are often wild substitutes for these such as cranberries, blueberries, salmonberries, strawberries, yarrow, stinging nettle, chamomile, wild rose, and others.
    [Show full text]
  • Journeys in America's Garden Capital
    Journeys in America’s Garden Capital Best of the Main Line The Philadelphia Main Line, lies 30-minutes west of the city and was renowned for sprawling country estates and being a bastion of “old money”. Today there are a handful of estates that now operate as cultural destinations that breathe new life into the region, along with a bevy of restaurants and shops to fill your day. Plan to stay for a night or two. The Wayne Hotel is a boutique option right in the center of Wayne, Pennsylvania. If you only have a day here are the highlights: Stop No. 1 Chanticleer, a Pleasure Garden 786 Church Road Wayne, Pennsylvania Visit chanticleergarden.org to confirm hours of operation. ➔ Arrive at 10am right when the garden opens and allow yourself two hours to explore and discover what pollinators and wildlife revel in the 7,000+ different varieties of plants maintained by skillful gardeners. Once the Rosengarten estate, today's Chanticleer is a colorful, contemporary garden within an historic setting. The garden is a study of textures and forms, where foliage trumps flowers, the gardeners lead the design, and even The Cut Flower Garden at the drinking fountains are sculptural. It is a garden of Chanticleer pleasure and learning, relaxing yet filled with ideas to take home. Visit to see for yourself why the London's Financial Times called Chanticleer "planted to perfection". ➔ There are many charming elements at Chanticleer – a productive Cut Flower Garden flanked by a working vegetable garden, creative seasonal plantings that incorporate tropical, non-hardy plants, and plenty of staff-made furniture for guests to sit and relax on.
    [Show full text]
  • Magical Cottage My Fairy Gardend ™ Lleafleteaflet
    Freya’srreyaeya’s Magical Cottage My Fairy Gardend ™ LeafletLeaflet Createte your ownown magicalcal fairfairyy ggardenarden playset!set! About My Fairy Garden™ Did you know that fairies are everywhere? They are! Not everyone can see them, but for those of us who can, they’re a magical sight! Fairies love nature, so you’ll usually find them near flowers, trees and toadstools, or among other wild and beautiful plants. You can invite fairies into your home by creating magical gardens…it’s true! They will quickly become your friends when you give them a lovely home and help them care for it! This set includes everything you’ll need to make a special garden Magical Cottage for the fairy Freya! Freya is the “mother” among her fairy friends. She loves hosting get-togethers and having friends visit. She makes sure her home is welcoming both inside and out, and takes care to always have treats on-hand for her guests…her specialty is berry muffins! If ever a fairy is having a sad day, they always go to Freya for a hug! Once you build Freya’s Magical Cottage and start growing your garden, you can make it even more enchanting by adding your own flowers and decorations! Contents: 2-Piece Flowerpot, Tray, Toadstool, 2 Tiki Torches, Umbrella Table, 1 Chair, Seed Packet, Soil, Watering Can (4 oz.), 4 Gardening Tools, Freya the Fairy, Fairy Stand, Flying Cord, Hazel the Chipmunk Growing Your Fairy Garden • Place the compressed soil in a bowl with three cups of water and allow it to soften.
    [Show full text]
  • Dacha Dwellers and Gardeners: Garden Plots and Second Houses in Europe and Russia
    Population and Economics 3(1): 107–124 DOI 10.3897/popecon.3.e34783 RESEARCH ARTICLE Dacha dwellers and gardeners: garden plots and second homes in Europe and Russia Alexander V. Rusanov1 1 Faculty of Geography, The Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia Received 1 February 2019 ♦ Accepted 25 March 2019 ♦ Published 12 April 2019 Citation: Rusanov AV (2019) Dacha dwellers and gardeners: garden plots and second homes in Europe and Russia. Population and Economics 3(1): 107–124. https://doi.org/10.3897/popecon.3.e34783 Abstract One of the ways to solve the problems associated with rapid growth of urban population and the development of industry in Western Europe in the 19th century was the creation of collective gar- dens and vegetable plots, which could be used to grow food for personal consumption. The peak of their popularity was during the First and Second World Wars. In the second half of the 20th century, as food shortages decrease, the number of garden plots in Western Europe sharply decreased. The revival of interest in gardening at the end of the 20 century is connected with the development of na- ture protection movement and ecological culture. In Eastern Europe, most of the collective gardens and vegetable plots appeared after the Second World War in a planned economy, they were most popular during the periods of economic recession. In some countries – Russia, Poland – gardeners have now become one of the largest land users. The article deals with the history and main factors that influenced the development of collective gardening and vegetable gardening in Europe and ana- lyzes the laws presently regulating the activity of gardeners.
    [Show full text]
  • Piero De'crescenzi's Liber Ruralium Commodorum: Unearthing the Origins of the Pleasure Garden
    Piero de'Crescenzi's Liber ruralium commodorum: Unearthing the Origins of the Pleasure Garden Johanna Elizabeth Bauman Charlottesville, Virginia B.A., George Mason University, 1989 M.A,. University of Virginia, 1995 A Dissertation presented to the Graduate Faculty of the University of Virginia in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy McIntire Department of Art University of Virginia May 2000 - II - ABSTRACT Piere de' Crescenzi's Liber ruralium commodorum, which was completed around 1306 and consists of twelve books, was the first major treatise on agriculture written in the middle ages. Although it is often mentioned in histories of medieval and Renaissance gardens, because it contains descriptions of pleasure gardens, there has never been a consideration of the pleasure garden descriptions in the context of the treatise as a whole. The main purpose of this dissertation is to recontextualize the role of the pleasure garden in an agricultural estate, by considering the relationship of Crescenzi's descriptions of pleasure gardens to the remaining agricultural books of the treatise. The dissertation begins with a consideration of Crescenzi's social, political, and intellectual backgrounds and how these influenced his decision to write a treatise on agriculture. Having placed Crescenzi in the context of the thirteenth­ century encyclopaedic tradition, the treatise is then summarized, making special reference to the sources Crescenzi employed, which include Roman agricultural writers, and treatises on medicine and the natural sciences, among others. This summary, which reveals the breadth of Crescenzi's undertaking and begins to demonstrate how the pleasure garden relates to Crescenzi's endeavor, is followed by an exploration of the prevailing definition of art and of - III - agriculture, which includes a consideration of the status of agriculture in the medieval hierarchy of the arts.
    [Show full text]