| Archaeological excavations conducted in the vicinity of the Gateway Center Station (Pittsburgh Light Rail Project) uncovered six brick-lined shafts, four of which contained archaeological deposits. The shafts, located in the central section of Pittsburgh, were probably built in the 19th century but soon became contaminated. Thereafter, they were used as garbage receptacles until they were abandoned and covered over, possibly in the early 20th century. It was during this period of time that Pittsburgh became heavily industrialized. At the same time, the Gateway Center Station area was rapidly transformed from a residential to a commercial center of the city. This shift in occupancy of the area is reflected in the glass and ceramic assemblages from the shafts.;The focus of the zooarchaeological research has been on the butchered elements in the assemblage. Detailed morphological descriptions of the butchering evidence (location, orientation and direction of the cuts, age and sex determination), in conjunction with documentary evidence, has been used to identify: (1) patterns of butchering methodology, e.g., where and how the animals were butchered, (2) the relative values of the cuts of meat represented, and (3) specific implements used. These data provide a basis for discussions of temporal and "socioeconomic" change in the assemblages.;Results of the zooarchaeological analysis indicate that beef, pork, and most of the lamb and mutton were brought to the site in wholesale or retail form. Domestic and wild fowl, and at least one caprine, were butchered at the site. Three of the sites are very similar to one another in the taxa and elements represented, and indicate a high-value residential assemblage. The fourth site suggests a commercial assemblage, possibly reflecting lower economic status of its occupants.;Approximately 4100 vertebrate specimens representing 15 taxa were recovered from these shafts. As expected, the remains of domesticates such as Bos taurus, Sus scrofa, Ovis aries, Capra hircus, Gallus gallus, and Meleagris gallopavo are common at each of the sites, though varying in relative importance. Wild-caught species such as Odocoileus virginianus, Anas spp., Aythya spp., and Ectopistes migratorius are much less common. |
