History through material culture.
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Wig Curler- Stafford County, VA (3D)
Although George Washington did not wear a wig, over 200 wig curlers were found at his Ferry Farm home in Stafford County, Virginia.
Osnaburg Fabric Apron- Charleston, SC
In 1735, South Carolina passed a Act outlawing enslaved Africans to wear any garment greater than the value of “negro cloth”.
18th C. Cufflinks- Montpelier Plantation, VA
In Colonial America, men with means enhanced their buckles, buttons and cufflinks with paste jewelry.
Jingle Dress Cones- Starkville, MS
Although Jingle Dresses are modern powwow wear, tinkler cones have adorned indigenous clothing since the 16th century.
17th Century Beads- Albany, NY
Colonial glass buttons originated from the Fichtelgebirge region Germany, known for their furnace wound glass technique.
No. 2 Construction Battalion Badge- Nova Scotia, Canada
This cap badge was an identifying symbol of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, a Canadian Expeditionary Force that served in World War I. It was the only Canadian battalion of black soldiers at the time.
Yucca Sandals – Canyon of the Ancients, CO
This sandal, woven from yucca fibers, was found at Canyon of the Ancients National Monument in southwestern Colorado. Between approximately 15000 BC and 1300 AD, the area was home to the Ancestral Puebloans.
Hardee Hat Pin - Tucson, AZ
This hat pin, found at the former site of Fort Lowell in Tucson, AZ, comes from the regulation Hardee hat for Union soldiers during the American Civil War.
Abenaki Earring- Quebec, Canada
Earrings and nose rings were important additions to Abenaki outfits.
Blue Glass Bead-Fort Mose, FL (3D)
Archaeologists found this glass bead at Fort Mose in Florida. Fort Mose was the first free Black community in the territory that would become the United States of America.
Snow Goggles- Northwest Territories, Canada
The materiality of these goggles speaks to the significance of whaling in Thule Inuit culture.
Bone Needlecase- Burlington County, NJ (Video)
New Jersey archaeologists find a carved, bone needlecase that reflects African American craft and symbolism.
Great Basin Sandals- Fort Rock Cave, OR
Fort Rock sandals are the oldest dated shoe type in the world. Over 100 pairs were found under a layer of ash caused by a volcanic eruption in 7400 BP.
Shell Gorget- Clark County, AR
Shell gorgets with the circle / cross motif appears around 1300 AD and were part of an interaction network across a 186-mile radius.
Carnelian Ring- Montpelier Plantation, VA (Video)
According to historical texts, Cambay crafted carnelian stone into beads, not rings. Further analysis could determine if the ring is an original import or reshaped from beads.
Pierced Coin- Poplar Forest, VA
Enslaved African-Americans at Poplar Forest used a pierced coin as a protective charm and teething device.
Neck Stock Buckle- Boston, MA
Based on the number of nail-heads, this stock buckle can be dated to the mid to late 18th century, around the same time the Boston Common was occupied by British in 1775.
Chevron Bead- Parkin, AR
Based on historical texts and a single chevron bead, archaeologists believe that Parkin was de Soto's first venture into Arkansas.