Joe Bagley

The items are significant because we rarely see them, archaeologically, also, Puritan Boston is often seen as an extremely conservative, reserved, and religious location in the 17th century, which it was, but in wealthier houses, the residents had access to luxury goods, purchased them, and enjoyed their more extravagant lifestyle in the privacy of their own home.

Luxury items are rare in other 17th century sites in New England, but the two best sites found in Boston, including this one, have a high number of them showing that Boston was a center of wealth for the region and its residents who had that wealth were willing and able to show off a bit, despite their Puritan lifestyle.