Report on Archaeobiological Materials from the Kirk Street Agents’ House, Lowell National Historical Park, Lowell, Massachusetts

This report describes and interprets the faunal and botanical remains recovered during intensive archaeological testing at the Kirk Street Agents’ House in Lowell, Massachusetts. The faunal specimens represent the remnants of household trash discarded in the yard by residents. Cattle, pig, rat, chicken, turkey, fish and caprine (sheep/goat) bones were recovered from the deposits, as well as bivalve shells and human teeth. Eight hundred and seventy-four macrobotanical remains were also identified, the majority of which belonged to low-growing weedy taxa. Palynological analysis of sediment samples supported previous evidence for a periods of rapid sedimentation in the yard area due to human activities. Overall, the archaeobiological data recovered suggests that the back yard of the Kirk Street Agents' House was primarily used for refuse disposal of faunal (but not floral) household remains.