All the Small Things: An Analysis of Small Finds at James Madison’s Montpelier Plantation

Summary

Over the past two decades, archaeology at Montpelier has provided a critical perspective into the lives of the enslaved individuals who lived and worked on the plantation. Excavations of the Montpelier Field Quarter and the South Yard have yielded a unique opportunity to further our understanding of the cultural impact on the landscape. Small finds, such as sewing and smoking implements are examples of important domestic artifacts found at many of these excavations. The proposed research will examine the spatial distribution of small finds on the Montpelier landscape as they apply to the subsequent structures.  Comparative analysis will show the similarities and differences in daily life between different enslaved workers homes. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Bringing back the Community: Archaeology of an Early 19th Century Enslaved Community at James Madison’s Montpelier in Orange County Virginia   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2015

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 553