Bone Artifacts at Mont Repose

89 Pages·2016·7.39 MB·English

Georgia Southern University
Digital Commons@Georgia Southern
Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of
Summer 2009
Bone Artifacts at Mont Repose: Possible Motivationos for
Production and Trade
James B. Harper
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Recommended Citation
Harper, James B., "Bone Artifacts at Mont Repose: Possible Motivationos for Production
and Trade" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 607.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/607
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BONE ARTIFACTS AT MONT REPOSE:
POSSIBLE MOTIVATIONS FOR PRODUCTION AND TRADE

by
JAMES B. HARPER IV
(Under the Direction of Sue Mullins Moore)
ABSTRACT
Material culture is a vital component of archaeology. The identification and designation
of artifacts and their uses can assist in contextualizing historical sites. At Mont Repose, a
rice plantation inhabited during colonial and antebellum times, a structure has been
partially excavated. Included in a collection of bone artifacts unearthed from this site are
bone buttons, bone toothbrushes, bone handfan parts, bone lice combs, and artifacts
thought to be parts of a needle case or a Yoruba status item. These items display a high
degree of manipulation and offer many interesting hypotheses regarding slave plantation
life. The bone artifacts associated with this building have helped the faculty and students
responsible for this work better understand the possible occupation and activities that
took place within.

INDEX WORDS: Bone artifacts, Mont Repose, Jasper County, South Carolina,
Gillison family, Slavery, Rice plantation,
BONE ARTIFACTS AT MONT REPOSE:
POSSIBLE MOTIVATIONS FOR PRODUCTION AND TRADE

by

JAMES B. HARPER IV
Bachelor of Arts, Georgia Southern University, 2001

A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

MASTER OF ARTS IN SOCIAL SCIENCE

STATESBORO, GEORGIA
2009
© 2009
James B. Harper IV
All Rights Reserved
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BONE ARTIFACTS AT MONT REPOSE:
POSSIBLE MOTIVATIONS FOR PRODUCTION AND TRADE

by

JAMES B. HARPER IV

Major Professor: Sue Mullins Moore

Committee: Lisa Denmark
Steven Hale

Electronic Version Approved:

June 2009

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DEDICATION
I dedicate this work to Jenny, Shelby, Coby-James, and Bay, without whom I may not
have had the appropriate motivation to achieve all I can in life. I especially dedicate this
thesis to my wife; she helped me see the way through my coursework and writing, and
always supports me.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to acknowledge the guidance and knowledge passed to me by Sue Mullins
Moore, my primary advisor and longtime instructor. Without her boundless knowledge
this project would not be. Also, Lisa Denmark, who helped me construct my
historiography and gave me insight into African-American culture. Steven Hale helped
me begin my academic journey by being the first advisor to peak my interest in
anthropology. Thanks to them all.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................................6
LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................9
CHAPTER
1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................10
The Origins of the Slave Trade in the Carolinas........................................13
Slave Life on rice plantations ....................................................................25
2 Description of bone artifacts and comparative studies ......................................................29
Origins of bone button use ........................................................................32
Origins of bone toothbrush use .................................................................35
Origins of bone lice comb use ..................................................................37
Origins of hand fan use .............................................................................38
Comparative Studies ..........................................................................................................40
Levi Jordan Plantation, Texas ...................................................................41
The Cabildo, Louisiana .............................................................................42
Brunswick Town, North Carolina .............................................................43
Brimstone Hill, St. Kitts, British Virgin Islands .......................................44
3 Mont Repose ......................................................................................................................46
The Gillison family ...................................................................................48
Archaeology of Mont Repose ...................................................................52
4 Excavations and description of bone artifacts at Mont Repose .........................................57
5 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................60
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REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................85
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LIST OF FIGURES
Page
Figure 1: Aerial Photo of Mont Repose; ca. 2008 ..............................................................................74
Figure 2: Aerial Photo; Detail of the bluff area, ca. 2008 ..................................................................74
Figure 3: Feature map of unit block ...................................................................................................75
Figure 4: Feature map showing artifacts in original nine block unit ..................................................75
Figure 5: Photograph facing east, looking over units .........................................................................76
Figure 6: Photo facing east, overlooking all nine units of original block ..........................................76
Figure 7: Button Type #15, FS #501 ..................................................................................................77
Figure 8: Button Type #15, FS #381 ..................................................................................................77
Figure 9: Button Type #15, FS #381 ..................................................................................................78
Figure 10: Button Type #15, FS #548 ................................................................................................78
Figure 11: Toothbrush fragment, FS #381 .........................................................................................79
Figure 12: Toothbrush fragment, FS #381 .........................................................................................79
Figure 13: Lice comb fragment, FS #380 ...........................................................................................80
Figure 14: Lice comb fragment, FS #680 ...........................................................................................80
Figure 15: Hand fan sticks, FS #548 ..................................................................................................81
Figure 16: Diagram of hand fan anatomy...........................................................................................81
Figure 17: Possible needle case/flywhisk fragments, FS #549 ..........................................................82
Figure 18: Possible needle case/flywhisk fragments, FS #598 ..........................................................82
Figure 19: The item in the second row, furthest to the right .............................................................83
Figure 20: Bone handle knife, FS #430 ..............................................................................................83
Figure 21: Bone handled fork, FS #548 .............................................................................................84
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