Dead Horse Bay items - urban archaeology

These are glass and other items found at Dead Horse Bay in Brooklyn, my favorite beach, both beautiful and grotesque. It was an animal carcass processing area in the 1850s that was made into a landfill by Robert Moses in the 1950s which is now slowly eroding into the sea. Today you can find animal bones, glass bottles, coins, jewelry, plastics, shoes, and other detritus from the last two centuries there- photography is allowed but taking anything is prohibited as it’s federally protected parkland. The items pictured include a pair of plastic cuff links, Pond’s jars, a mug-shaped Federal shot glass, an Amsco Doll-E Toy bottle, and a Dr. Ellis Quick Dry Waving Fluid bottle.