Notes
Two burnt cotton seed fragments. Latin name: Gossypium. Cotton was a minor crop in Northern Virginia during Washington's time. These seeds suggest that Washington was growing cotton. The presence of cotton seeds in the House For Families may be evidence of processing cotton bolls for fibre or collecting cotton seed. (McKnight, Justine W. 2015 "A Study of Macro-botanical Remains Recovered from the House for Families at George Washington?s Mount Vernon 44FX762/40 and 44FX762/47.")
Object Type
All Other ArtifactsHas it Been Conserved?
No
Where Was It Found?
Project Site: House for Families [more details]
Material
Manufacturing Technology
Form
Completeness
Date
18th Century
Country of Origin
Dimensions
4.27mm x 2.95mm x 10.27mm (W x H x L)
Illustration shows object in comparison to the size of a quarter
Object Number
1885302
DAACS Number
1885302
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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