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Personal Lives of the Enslaved Overview
Personal Lives of the Enslaved Overview
A lot could be said about the personal lives of enslaved individuals as they lived within complex social, religious, political, and economic structures. Their lives were largely controlled by their masters yet they retained individual agency that helped to shape the world around them. Material objects were one way that individuals could exert control over their lives and maintain cultural traditions from their home countries.
The lives of enslaved individuals at Fairfield Plantation were largely dictated by the role they were forced into. However, despite these limitations, we know that slaves were not omitted entirely from local economies. The movement of goods did not flow only passively in one direction from the master to the slave but instead represents more of a web-like sphere of interaction between slaves and their communities as active consumers, not just passive receivers. Not only were some enslaved individuals active consumers of goods, but many also produced craft items, grew vegetables, raised animals, fished, and hunted, yielding products that they could use themselves, and barter or sell to other slaves, or individuals in the community. The production and consumption of goods varied greatly based on access to materials and markets, occupation and status of enslaved individuals, and different methods of control exerted by slave owners, yet the ability of the human spirit to actively create and preserve a sense of identity amidst the harsh parameters of slavery never faded.
Some artifacts that have been found at Fairfield Plantation within the context of slavery include items that were worn or used by individuals in their everyday lives. These things include mundane items such as tools used in personal care and hygiene, objects for adornment, tools for art, and items of cultural value brought over with them across their journey from Africa. While their lives were a far cry from comfortable, they made the most of their circumstances with what was available.
*This is not the full collection of personal items found at Fairfield Plantation within the context of enslavement*
Cowrie Shell
Context: 44GL24 TU241A
Date: 18th century
Cowrie shells are one of the most recognizable shells used in African jewelry. Also used in Asia, the shell holds symbolic cultural and societal meaning representative of the community from which it is used. At certain times in history, these shells were also used as currency in China and Africa. At the beginning of the African slave trade, the English, Dutch, and Portuguese were in control of the cowrie shell market. This control granted them access to the African market and allowed them to begin trading cowrie shells for individuals, which started the transatlantic slave trade that persisted until the early 19th century. These shells continue to have significant meaning within different African cultures historically, spiritually, and emotionally. Not native to the Chesapeake, these items were either carried or acquired by enslaved Africans at Fairfield to use for personal adornment. It is clear from the fragments found that they were fashioned into a type of bead on site by carefully cutting off the backs.
Aglet
Context: 44GL24 TU238A
A small piece of material, typically metal, that would be used to seal the end of a piece of string or cord. It is possible that this may have been used at the end of a ribbon to tighten a woman's corset.
Jewel with Classical Figure
Context: 44GL24 TU281
This ovular jewel features a carved classical figure holding a bow and arrow. The orientation of the stone tells us that this most likely would have been fastened into a pendant for a necklace or used in a bracelet. This example is made of glass and was likely produced in England in the late 18th or early 19th century.
Copper Alloy Button Back
Context: 44GL24 TU238A
Button backs made of metals such as copper alloy served two purposes. It allowed the button to be fastened to the clothing and it added strength. Some button backs were made of other materials such as bone but this is an example of a cast copper alloy button back.
Jewel
Context: 44GL24 TU273A
This is a faceted dark purple glass jewel with five facets cut into the front creating a raised, diamond center with four sloping sides.
Jewel in Setting
Context: 44GL24 TU295
We know slaves were part of the local economies and some were able to purchase items from nearby markets such as jewelry. This could be an example of a purposeful purchase of a piece of jewelry as a representation of personal identity. The rainbow light refractions and size suggest this is likely a faceted glass jewel.
Gaming Piece
Context: 44GL24 TU147A
This disc-shaped molded clay object is probably a marble or gaming piece. It is either unfired, or very low fired, meaning it is fairly soft, and could have been made locally. It may have started our more spherical, like a toy marble, but was either flattened or worn down on one side. It could have been made or modified to use in games of Mancala. Originating and rising to popularity with the Igbo people of West Africa, the game has since gained worldwide recognition. Few archaeological materials would be left behind with games such as Mancala besides these game pieces.
Harmonica Fragment
Context: 44GL24 TU272A
Date: 19th century
Harmonicas rose to popularity during the Civil War due to their small size and easy mobility. In the mid-19th century harmonicas were also relatively affordable, making them an easily accessible instrument for enslaved individuals.
Marked Pipe Stem
Context: 44GL24 TU389
Date: 18th century
Until the end of the 19th century, clay was the most common material for the production of pipes. Smoking tobacco was popular amongst White and Black individuals alike. This popularity resulted in a large number of broken pipe stems that flood archaeological databases giving us vital insight into periods of occupation. Pipes, similar to ceramics, can be relatively dated based on the interior bore diameter and other distinguishing characteristics such as maker's marks. This example of imported English white clay tobacco pipe is the most common type found on colonial sites.
Slate Pencil
Context: 44GL24 TU5A
Slate pencils were used most commonly in the 19th century by children practicing handwriting and arithmetic. A very small percentage of enslaved children were taught to read and write at the request of the master. Typically associated with religious teachings, this education would have provided children with the basic skills necessary to read and write. The education of slaves in Virginia was always limited, but become much more restricted in the 19th century. Was this pencil used by enslaved individuals at Fairfield?
Watch Fob
Context: 44GL24 TU607
Date: 19th century
A watch fob's main purpose was to make the pocket watch easier to access. The fob would hang from the pocket and would be grasped to easily retrieve the watch. It was also a fashionable item was on display when worn. This example is made of stamped copper alloy, with blue glass decorative inserts.
Straight Pins
Context: 44GL24 F008B
Date: 18th century
Straight pins served several purposes dealing with clothing. One use is to hold two pieces of fabric together either during mending or sewing new clothes. Another use is to pin aprons onto the front of women's clothing or to pin infants' clothing together.
Glycymeris Clam Shell with Hole
Context: 44GL24 TU167
This is likely a fossilized example of this clam shell, recovered from fossil beds in the ravine near the Fairfield house site. The hole is from some type of predatory snail that drills through the shell to reach the clam inside. The hole could have been repurposed for jewelry or other adornment but is the result of a natural process. This is the only example of this type of shell found so far at Fairfield, so it was likely collected as a curiosity and kept as a personal item.
Buckle
Context: 44GL24 TU85A
Date: 18th century
This small D-shaped copper alloy buckle has delicate foliate engraving, and was probably tin-plated. This buckle was likely used on clothing or a horse harness.
Collar Button
Context: 44GL24 TU477
The original use for collar buttons is to secure the flaps of a collar to the shirt to prevent the collar corners from flipping up. These small buttons were invented for and used by polo players to secure their collars during the game. The reason this button was found in the slave quarter area is not known but it could have been dropped and lost during the shirt mending process or the shirt could have been given to an individual. At the time of its invention, collar buttons were used almost exclusively in polo shirts and since then have been integrated into everyday clothing.
Toothbrush Fragment
Context: 44GL24 TU179D
Date: 18th to 19th century
Traditionally European toothbrushes are made out of bone for the handles and pigs' hair for the bristles. This fragment is made of bone and due to the fragile nature of organic material, there are no bristles left.
Bone Comb Fragment
Context: 44GL24 TU167C
Date: 18th century
Bone combs have a long history with the earliest bone combs being found as far back as the Neolithic Era. These combs varied in design with some being very elaborate and others being plain. We have not recovered enough of this comb to know the exact design, but from the tooth width, we can see it had one fine side and one wider side. This comb is fairly typical of those found in the 18th century, and was often used for removing head lice, as well as for personal grooming.
Plate Glass - Probable Mirror
Context: 44GL24 F008A
Date: 18th century
Mirrors have been around for thousands of years and thus finding a fragment of a mirror is not out of the scope of possibility. As glass ages it patinas, much like leather does. The patina varies based on many factors and in this case, the glass has turned red. However, the material and smoothness have led us to believe this is a possible mirror fragment.
Raccoon Baculum
Context: 44GL24 F008C
Date: 18th century
The baculum is the penis bone, found in a number of mammals. This is only bone from a raccoon found in this subfloor pit context. Sometimes used as a pendant, a baculum often represents fertility and power. This may have been used as a piece of adornment or as a spiritual item. The cultural interpretations and uses of the baculum varies based on the community, but the discovery of this singular baculum signifies a purposeful and intentional possession.
Tobacco Pipe: Stem, Base, and Bowl
Context: 44GL24 F087A1SW
Date Range: 1719-1763
This is an English white clay tobacco pipe. The initials featured on this pipe are "WM" with the symbol of a crown sitting atop the initials. This maker's mark is attributed to William Manby of England. Pipes from Manby's workshop were imported to Virginia in large numbers and have been recovered from many sites.
Locally made Tobacco Pipe Bowl Fragment
Context: 44GL24 TU240A
An incised fragment from the bowl of a locally made, or Chesapeake, tobacco pipe. These pipes tend to date to the 17th century and were made by a variety of makers, as an alternative to imported tobacco pipes. The design and the maker of this pipe are not clear, but it is one of a small number of artifacts that hint of the early years of colonial settlement at Fairfield.
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