Hand-wrought nails from an archeology site can add a lot of information to the story of a place.
In general, for construction purposes, there are three different types of nails that can be found at a historical site: wrought, machine-cut, or wire.
Nails have been around since approximately 3000 B.C. Nails have been found in Egypt and Mesopotamia. There are mentions of nails in the Bible. Their use remained relatively unchanged until the 1790s, when cut nails started to be produced.
Wrought nails are hand made by a blacksmith, and were the only type of nail available in the South Carolina backcountry at the time of the Battle at Hammond’s Old Store. Nails were expensive to make by hand, and were highly valued. During the American Revolution, the only source for bulk nails was England. That supply ceased once the independence was declared. Nails were so valuable at this time that abandoned houses were often burned – so that the nails could be recovered and repurposed.
Wrought nails indicate a time-frame prior to 1800. This is critical information, and can confirm or refute prior knowledge of a place. Additional data can be gleaned from the size, shape, head, and composition.
Interesting paper from 1970 from an exploratory archeological dig at Ninety-Six, prepared by the Institute of Archeology and Anthropology, University of South Carolina. Wrought nails were found. Click here for the article.
Another in-depth article, with photos and graphics, takes things a step further. Nail holes can add to the story, even when no nails are present. Oxidation and rust colors are indicators as well. Nails As Clues To Age