Blacksmithing for Fun and Profit: Archaeological Investigations at 31NH755
Author(s): Natalie Pope; Tracy A. Martin; William G. Green
Year: 2017
Summary
Archaeological investigations at an early 19th century historic site along the banks of the Lower Cape Fear River near Wilmington, North Carolina, uncovered evidence of a small blacksmith shop and adjacent domestic occupation. Archaeological features included the footprint of the burned blacksmith shop, approximately 15 by 15 feet in size, along with a dense scatter of charcoal, slag, and scrap iron. Adjacent to this building were structural posts and artifacts that appear to be related to a domestic occupation. Historical records indicate that during the early 19th century, the 1,400-acre plantation where this site was located was under the ownership of the Julius Walker family who was primarily involved in the cultivation of rice. Skilled African-American artisans, such as blacksmiths, were common on rice and other plantations. This paper describes the site and its possible role at the plantation and in the local market economy.
Cite this Record
Blacksmithing for Fun and Profit: Archaeological Investigations at 31NH755. Natalie Pope, Tracy A. Martin, William G. Green. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Fort Worth, TX. 2017 ( tDAR id: 435379)
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Keywords
General
Blacksmithing
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Lower Cape Fear River
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Plantation
Geographic Keywords
North America
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United States of America
Temporal Keywords
19th Century
Spatial Coverage
min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology
Record Identifiers
PaperId(s): 172