tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9145567992112689325.post4839595467116519374..comments2023-06-28T13:01:13.930-04:00Comments on <center>Questions & Answers</center>: What Does the Half-moon on the Outhouse Door Mean?Malloryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00929291460201886547noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9145567992112689325.post-35244678777226356332017-12-11T20:11:55.835-05:002017-12-11T20:11:55.835-05:00I've been restoring and building rustic outhou...I've been restoring and building rustic outhouses since prior to the turn of the century and have given lectures on outhouse Americana and have learned more than most about this icon of Americana. The problem with explaining the privy moon is not knowing a no nonsense rustic carpenter who actually had a reason to carve one into a door. First let me say that the colonials had a literacy rate just as good, if not better than today's folk. They grew up reading the bible and newspapers flourished throughout the colonies. School houses sprung up like mushrooms and there was no reason not to know basic reading. Those folk did not need ancient folk lore to designate back house symbols. Also most colonial outhouses I've restored or documented, had windows above the eye level allowing in plenty of light and air.<br />To understand the crescent cutout you must first understand that the necessary was usually built from old scrap because it was never expected to last too long. Rustic carpenters used old leather scrap as hinges and instead of expensive hardware, simply cut out an opening a person could fit their hand into for a "door knob."<br />This simple convention pretty much come to define the old kybo and when it was no longer needed, because hardware was more plentiful, it stayed on to define this shed as a outhouse. Without its original purpose, it could be placed anywhere on the structure as a "sign" that this building was a privy. This confused later generations who had never had to use it as a handle and so many imaginative explanations were given. <br />Interestingly enough, I had sold a rustic outhouse to a relative of Ron Barlow's and have recently lectured at the Eric Sloane museum about this.<br />But I suppose, you could turn this once functional item into a symbol and if now a days, if you want this to be an outhouse for your moon goddess, so be it. But that isn't why it was there to begin with.<br />my website is bullhillworkshop.com or outhouseamericana.comouthouseamericanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06928790090196079719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9145567992112689325.post-66046308930462439902009-02-27T02:57:00.000-05:002009-02-27T02:57:00.000-05:00It’s so nice site. We love to see more on this sit...It’s so nice site. We love to see more on this site. Keep on updating… MonkAreYou Bali *fghjkPancerBalihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01395679109540396850noreply@blogger.com