In 1990, archaeologists at Mount Vernon excavated the root cellar of the original House for Families slave quarter. The building was used to house slaves between 1760 and 1793.

The excavation offered an intimate look at the lives of the people who lived and worked there. Over 65,000 artifacts were uncovered, providing us a chance to see what the slaves ate, the plates and glasses they used, how they entertained themselves, how they decorated their clothing, and the tools they used.

Examine some of the artifacts which were uncovered during the excavation. What do they tell you?

Bones

Over 25,000 animal bones excavated from the House for Families cellar tell a great deal about the diet of the slaves living on the Mansion House Farm. Beef, pork, and mutton were the domesticated meats eaten by the slaves while many species of fish, fowl and wild animals like deer, rabbit and opossum rounded out their diet.

Clothing Artifacts

Left to Right:

• brass shoe buckle
• buttons: brass, white metal with gilt, bone and fabric covered bone
• brass shoe buckle covered with silver wash
• brass straight pins

Shoe buckles, buttons, and straight pins found in the House for Families excavation reveal information about the clothing worn by the slaves living in the quarter.

Personal Items

Clockwise from top:

These items reflect the leisure activities of the slaves living at the House for Families

Pottery

Clockwise from upper left:

• English slipware platter
• colonoware bowl
• white salt glaze stoneware plate with dot, diaper, basket decoration
• Chinese export porcelain plate

A wide range of tablewares were recovered from the excavation. The stoneware was handed down from the Washington family; the colonoware might have been made by a slave.