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Polished raccoon baculum with incised line.

Notes

Missing tip close to thinner end of baculum. Incised line toward thicker end, uneven, and does not totally circle shaft. Iron corrosion on one side.


Object Type


Has it Been Conserved?

No


Where Was It Found?

Project Site: House for Families [more details]


Material

Bone


Manufacturing Technology

Natural


Form

Baculum


Completeness

Incomplete


Decorative Technology

Incised


Decorative Notes

Incised line, likely so could be worn from a string.


Date


Country of Origin

United States


Dimensions

24.88mm x 6.35mm x 88.34mm (W x H x L)


Illustration shows object in comparison to the size of a quarter


Weight

2.9 gram(s)


Object Number

1841966

DAACS Number

1841966


Project: House for Families

The structure identified as the “House for Families” on the 1787 Vaughan plan likely housed the majority of the enslaved population living at the Mansion House Farm for much of the second half of the eighteenth century. The building was in existence from circa 1760 until it was demolished in late 1792 or early 1793. The archaeological evidence for the structure consisted of a brick-lined storage cellar (44FX762/40-47) measuring roughly six feet by six feet. Historically the cellar served as a handy trash receptacle once it ceased to be used for its original storage function, and through extensive excavation has yielded an extremely rich assemblage of household refuse. The analysis of these remains offers the opportunity to study important aspects of the daily lives of Mount Vernon's enslaved community.

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