Courtesy Photo | Pictures of a Siam Transfer Print ceramic pieces are shown that were found in a past...... read more read more
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During the spring of 2019, archaeologists with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Cultural Resource Management program were monitoring a project on Fort McCoy lands.
While observing a dirt pile created from topsoil stripping, the UWM-CRM archaeologists recovered various post-contact artifacts including ten ceramic sherds (six whiteware, three ironstone, and one earthenware) and one piece of glass.
One of the ceramic pieces had a unique and identifiable design referred to as the Siam pattern. The Siam pattern was manufactured by Joseph Clementson between 1839 and 1864 at the Phoenix Works in England. Phoenix Works specialized in earthenware and ironstone pottery. Clementson and Phoenix Works not only made their pottery for the residents of England but also exported their pottery to Canada and the United States of America.
The pottery type that the Siam pattern is transfer printed onto is called ironstone. Ironstone is a type of stoneware that was developed in England in the early 19th century. It is non-porous, hard, and more durable than earthenware which is porous and soft. Ironstone and porcelain are fired at higher temperatures than earthenware, which allows for thinner pottery with better durability while making it non-porous.
Ironstone was used as a substitute for porcelain because it could be mass produced at a lower cost. Ironstone is also known as semi-porcelain, opaque porcelain, English porcelain, stone China, and new stone. Contrary to its name, there is no iron in ironstone. It was named based on its durability.
The Siam pattern is characterized by an “oriental” theme using blue and white transfer print. This artistic style is also referred to as chinoiserie which means Chinese. Transfer prints are made using engraved printing plates to print designs onto tissue paper which is then placed onto the piece of pottery, and the design is fixed in place during firing.
The ceramic sherd pictured here was most likely part of a handleless cup which would have had an accompanying saucer for it to rest on. This particular sherd is part of the rim and has a design on both the interior and exterior.
The Siam pattern for a handleless cup is characterized by a paneled rim with three unframed vignettes (decorative designs) of domed temples and minarets (slender, tower-like structures) with trees set within a reticulated (interlacing lines) background and a band of spearpoint located under two narrow lines on the interior surface of the rim.
The exterior of the cup is decorated with an “oriental” scene divided by a body of water. The banks of the river are covered with domed temples and minarets. The left side has two palm trees while the right side has two elm trees. The banks in the foreground of the scene are covered with flowering vines, while the background depicts mountains and clouds. A similar scene as the exterior would be found at the bottom of the cup on the interior surface.
All archaeological work conducted at Fort McCoy was sponsored by the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch. Visitors and employees are reminded they should not collect artifacts on Fort McCoy or other government lands and leave the digging to the professionals.
Any individual who excavates, removes, damages, or otherwise alters or defaces any post-contact or pre-contact site, artifact, or object of antiquity on Fort McCoy is in violation of federal law.
The discovery of any archaeological artifact should be reported to the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch.
(Article prepared by the Fort McCoy Archaeology Team that includes the Colorado State University’s Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands and the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch.)
| Date Taken: | 01.16.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.16.2026 16:29 |
| Story ID: | 556348 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 14 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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