Embedded Files
Slave Labor Overview
Slave Labor Overview
Fairfield Plantation, not unlike most other plantations of the time, relied on intensive slave labor to maintain the smooth operation of such large tracts of land and massive manor houses. Labor for enslaved individuals would have been a grueling everyday obligation that sometimes spanned from sunrise to sunset in the summer months. Sundays were reserved for religious observance for both Black and White individuals in the colonies with some slaves combining their traditional belief systems with those of Christianity. Seasonal variability generally dictated their work schedules with winter being the slowest season, when slaves would often be assigned other duties such as repairing broken tools and machinery in preparation for the summer. The tasks may have changed based on the season, but generally, slaves worked year-round with very few, if any, days off.
Slaves were responsible for any and all tasks that were required on the plantation and therefore the material culture left behind that relates to slave labor ranges widely from straightforward tools to everyday objects. There are no artifacts left behind on plantations that have not been touched by or impacted by slave labor. While the artifacts below are related to typical labor tasks, it could be argued that many of the other artifacts featured in the exhibit could also relate to labor. It is important to remember that no part of slave life was really their own; their existence was always dictated by and for the benefit of the master. Enslaved individuals were often working and always on-call, but despite these limitations, the human spirit endured, and is evidenced through the artifacts left behind.
Analyzing these artifacts gives insight into the typical duties of slaves on a plantation such as Fairfield. The individual artifact interpretations are roughly outlined here but are still open to further interpretation as we learn more about the individuals who used these objects in their everyday lives.
*This is not the full collection of artifacts related to labor found at Fairfield Plantation within the context of enslavement*
Child's Thimble
Context: 44GL24 TU167D
A thimble is used during sewing to protect the finger from being pricked by the needle. As this is a child's thimble, it is possible that this was used by an enslaved child in the mending of clothes and other domestic textile projects. Many enslaved children would have been tasked with sewing or mending garments for the masters or other enslaved individuals. This thimble could also have been used by other folks in the household as it was found within the ruin of the manor.
Iron File
Context: 44GL24 TU198B
Date: 19th century
Files were used for a multitude of purposes ranging from blade sharpening to filing a horse's hooves. "T. Shaw" is stamped into the right-hand side of this iron file, indicating who made this file. Further research may reveal the location and working dates of T. Shaw's workshop. Sharpening and maintaining tools was a vital task on the plantation, as it ensured that much of the other work could proceed smoothly, from planting and harvesting crops, to cutting lumber and firewood.
Copper Spout - Possible Watering Can
Context: 44GL24 F087A1NE
Date: 18th century
Copper has many desirable properties, the most important of which is its resistance to water damage. It was not until the beginning of railway construction in the mid-19th century that copper became a high-value commodity. Watering and other gardening-related tasks would have been the responsibility of enslaved individuals at Fairfield Plantation, and was an important task in the large enclosed garden and during times of intense heat and drought.
Wig Curler
Context: 44GL24 TU604
Date: 18th century
Wigs became popular in the mid-17th century in France and quickly spread to all of Europe. Made of white clay, this wig curler represents one part of the arduous task of curling a wig that includes being boiled, baked, and curled. As wig maintenance was a labor-intensive and time-consuming process it would have been a task enslaved individuals were assigned to do.
Gear
Context: 44GL24 TU412
Date: 19th century
The use of this copper-alloy gear is not clearly understood as it could have been a part of one of the many pieces of equipment being used at Fairfield Plantation. Gears are one of the oldest pieces of equipment known to man, however, we are not sure what object this was part of. The size narrows down its uses further, possibly being used in small items such as an oil lamp or clock.
Bone Needle Case
Context: 44GL24 TU149A
Date: 18th century
A bone needle case would be used to store needles and pins for easy access and organization for mending and making clothes. Needles and pins were fragile and easy to lose making this a necessity for anyone working with textiles frequently such as domestic slaves.
Chisel Fragment
Context: 44GL24 TU74C
Date: 18th century
The main use of chisels is cutting and shaping materials such as metal, wood, and stone. This chisel was likely used for wood working. Many male slaves would have worked as skilled craftsmen making things to aid in the success of the plantation such as barrels, furniture, tools, and more.
Brass Hinge for Folding Ruler
Context: 44GL24 TU306A
Date: 18th century
This is the round hinge of a folding ruler that was most likely used in carpentry. The long parts of the ruler were usually of a strong wood, like boxwood, but they don't typically survive in the soil. A wide variety of companies produced these folding rulers from the 1780s until the 1950s, though this likely dates before that time.
Iron Horse Bridle - Probable Curb Bit
Context: 44GL24 TU764
Date: 18th century
A curb bit is used in horseback riding to allow the rider to provide rein directions to the horse. This iron bit could have been used by enslaved horsemen during their daily duties of caring for and prepping horses for journeys with their masters.
Needle Case
Context: 44GL24 TU163E2
Date: 18th century
Another example of a needle case that would be used to store needles and pins for easy access and organization for mending and making clothes. Needles and pins were fragile and easy to lose making this a necessity for anyone working with textiles frequently such as domestic slaves and Burwell women within the house.
Lead Casting Waste
Context: 44GL24 TU238A
Date: c. 18th century
The process of casting includes melting metal and pouring it into molds to create uniquely shaped metal objects. This allows multiple identical metal objects to be made with relative ease compared to carving, shaping, or hammering. The waste produced from this process is what is leftover on the mold following the pouring of the liquid metal. It is typically severed from the desired object and discarded. We do not know what this lead waste is from.
Iron Chain
Context: 44GL24 F088H3
Date: 18th century
An iron chain comes with its own connotations and immediate assumptions as to how to interpret its use. It could be simply an iron chain that connected two things together on the farm. On the other hand, it could have been used to shackle an enslaved individual. Wrought iron chain like this was likely made in England, although it is possible that a blacksmith at Fairfield made or modified this object. We know this was discarded in a subfloor pit within a slave quarter, so we know it was used and handled by enslaved individuals, but we don't know anything more specific about its use.
Delftware Salve Pot
Context: 44GL24 TU238A
Date: early to mid-18th century
A salve, or medicinal ointment, consists of fats/oils, herbs, and/or beeswax. The mixture of ingredients would be combined and placed into a pot such as this to be used to soothe the skin and heal minor wounds. Generally, slaves were not treated by European doctors in the colonies and most ailments were treated from within the community by healers or those knowledgeable in healing medicines. This pot could have been used to hold a salve from an apothecary, or something prepared on the plantation. It was found associated with a slave quarter and was likely used by enslaved individuals within that building.
Lead Bale Seal
Context: 44GL24 F12D
Date: early 18th century
Lead bale seals were used commonly from the 14th century until the 19th century and denoted tax status, quality, or location for bales of cloth and other items. They were usually clamped onto an item after the payment of taxes or duties. They are the predecessor to modern labels seen on thousands of products. These sometimes feature an image of the English monarch, making them great tools for dating. Bale seals are an indicator of the importation of goods, and the subsequent labor required, such as turning cloth into finished clothes.
Iron Sickle
Context: 44GL24 TU16A
Date: 18th century
Used primarily in farming, a sickle is used in the process of harvesting crops as well as other agricultural tasks. This nearly complete example was most likely used in the process of harvesting tobacco leaves. In addition to harvesting crops, sickles can be used to cut tall grass or clear brush.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse