Maroons And The Underground Railroad In The Great Dismal Swamp During The Antebellum

Summary

The Great Dismal Swamp Landscape Study has focused on the lives of Maroons living in the Great Dismal Swamp during the 17th and 18th centuries. In addition, the Great Dismal Swamp was arguably both a destination and channel for the Underground Railroad.  Cultural transformations that took place at the start of the 19th century and the role of the Great Dismal Swamp in the UGRR demonstrate concepts of agency in different relationalities, including personhood, materiality and fields of action.  Recent excavations found a number of artifacts, including lead shot and gunflints, as well as features that suggest the interior community was taking a more defensive approach at the start of the 19th century.  This paper will provide a summary of recent work in the Great Dismal Swamp and the implications they might have for individuals that comprised an interior community deep in the swamp and individuals traveling on the UGRR.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2015   •
• Boundaries, Barriers, and Beliefs: Racism and Communities in African Diaspora Archaeology

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 302