Steve Berglund
| Foundry Pattern Artist

Cannery Row Artifacts- 1964

   

I found these objects underneath the abandoned sardine canneries in Monterey California. I decided to explore underneath to see if I could find any artifacts from the time when these factories were the hub of the fishing industry in this region.

The chains were a part of the conveyor system used in the processing of sardines. Small wood containers were held in place within each link of the chain. These containers served as templates to guide the workers in cutting the sardines to the right size for canning. It is not clear to me how the wire pieces were used, but they spoke to me because of their distinct head-like shapes.

The pictures to the right and below were taken during this day of exploration and collecting in the summer of 1964.