we recently were probing a yard for a privy and came across a old cistern by the house. The cistern was used to collect rain water from the drain pipes on the house.They used the water for washing,cooking and sometimes drinking.

When plumbing came in,the cisterns were abandoned and used as an "ash dump"  for the coal and wood ash from the stoves.

   It is a gamble to dig cisterns because there is always  a ton of ash to remove and most times very little "trash" bottles and house hold wears. Cisterns were not used like trash receptacle  the way  privy's were.

http://www.antiquetrader.com/antiques/antiques-americana/are-19th-century-artifacts-still-buried-in-your-backyard

Antique Traders Karen Knapstein wrote a short informative article on our privy digging adventures. Click the link below and go to the Antique Traders web site.

http://www.antiquetrader.com/article/Privy_to_history_bottle_digging/