Figure 6 Porringer and coffee cup. Porringer: William Rogers, Yorktown, Virginia, 1720. Lead-glazed earthenware. D. 6 1/2". Coffee cup: London, ca. 1700. Tin-glazed earthenware. H. 2 5/8". (Courtesy, National Park Service, Colonial National Historical Park, Yorktown Collection.) COLO Y 7096, COLO Y 7097. These special objects may represent the material evidence of a dedication rite or ceremony marking the first successful firing of the large kiln. The initials “ag” on the porringer might refer to the initials of the potter, who remains unidentified, and “1720” to the first year of production at the site. The tin-glazed cup, made in London, England, in the period 1700– 1720, would have been especially valued by the potter because of its fine quality; it may also have reaffirmed connections the potter had with the tin-glazing industry in Lambeth or Southwark. In any case, the burial of these pots was likely a special event to ensure good luck in the pottery business. The porringer may be the earliest dated American-made piece ever found in a kiln context.