XRF Analysis of North Carolina Piedmont Ceramics to Locate Source of Production and Trade at Rural Plantation Sites

Summary

Little documentation exists of the trade exchange occurring in the central Piedmont during the 18th and 19th century at wealthy plantation sites or at surrounding sites of lower economic status. In this historical archaeology research, I focus on understanding the socio-economic patterns of settlers in the more rural areas of the region at two plantation sites and wasters from a local kiln site from same time period. Using pXRF data of lead glazed earthenware I attempt to map ceramic regional origin using existing pXRF data of identical ceramic types. Non-local wares for comparison were chosen based on documented trading sites during the 18th and 19th centuries, including Britain, Philadelphia, the Chesapeake, South Carolina and the Northern Virginia Piedmont. I propose that the settlers’ desire for independence and sustainability to form a nation independent from Britain would have been the primary factor in deciding where to obtain utilitarian vessels, rather than choosing non-local sources as an indicator of social status, i.e., local wares should be much more common than those from northern states or imports.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22434