The Archaeology of Provisioning

Enslaved communities sought sources of extra protein by procuring wild fowl, deer, muskrat, oysters, crayfish and gar, a fish that people of European descent refused to eat. Archaeological findings from pits dug in areas where enslaved people of coastal Virginia once lived reveal fish and animal bone matter. These sites (dating to the mid-1760s, when George Mason was operating the plantation) share similarities with the terrain around the Gunston Hall house.  Aside from evidence of daily food preparation and consumption, these sites also contain personal items and shrine totems of enslaved worshipers. The oyster shells recovered from cabin settlements adjacent to Gunston Hall did not come from the nearby Potomac. Rather, the expert opinion is that oyster meat was bought by the Mason family from river merchants, and then eaten by the master class. The evidence of oysters around Gunston Hall suggest that enslaved people may have eaten these shell fish as a leftover.

Archaeologists also make excellent use of trash pits, which offer a window into ordinary life.  Near the Gunston Hall main house, for example, teeth, jaw, and foot bones of domesticated cows, goats, sheep, and pigs, have been found. In addition, the more delicate remains of chickens and turkeys were unearthed, along with remarkable evidence of fruit pits from peaches and cherries, which typically do not survive as well as bones. Finally, archaeologists found evidence of wild animals consumed by enslaved people.  This game was likely killed by a firearm that shot lead projectiles; these bullet-type balls were sprinkled throughout the refuse deposits.  The experts conclude that such lead particles were most likely embedded in meat scraps tossed as garbage. Interesting questions arise from these important studies of Gunston Hall's material past. For example, were enslaved people owned by George Mason allowed to carry and/or use firearms to hunt deer? Did they load and maintain the master's guns and wait until the slaughtered game was prepared for the table before receiving meat scraps? Although there is no extant evidence of enslaved people trapping game, it is worth asking whether wild animals were captured using snares, and of course trained dogs.  If game traps were made from wood and string, it is understandable that these decomposing remnants would be harder to find on and under the landscape. Although there is no evidence of other means to capture game animals, there still exists a possibility other methods -- such as trapping -- were used.[1]



[1] Personal communication with David Shonyo, Chief Archaeologist, Gunston Hall, Mason Neck, Virginia, July 2017. He also authored a valuable study examining 18th-century (African-American) hunting practices in and around George Mason IV’s manor: David Shonyo, “March 2014 Report on 2013 Activities on Gunston Hall Plantation,” (44FX113), Gunston Hall Plantation.

Creator: Farhaj Murshed