There are ten complete persimmon seeds, with a total of eighteen pieces in the picture. The seeds are small, oval-shaped, and dark grey. Some of the seeds have layers chipped away - others are completely whole, and still, others only have a small bit remaining.
They are 8.58mm wide, 3.78mm high, and 12.32 mm long.
When looking at this primary source, consider the following questions:
- Where did these seeds originally come from?
- What might these seeds be used for?
- Why do you think these seeds were found in the House for Families and South Grove Midden? What does this tell us about the people who originally had these seeds?
- Why are seeds important in the 18th century and today?
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DownloadThese seeds are persimmon seeds. They were found in the House for Families, which were living quarters for people enslaved at or near the Mansion House at Mount Vernon. They were also found at the South Grove Midden, a trash area just next to the Mansion. This information lets us know that they were most likely eaten by both the Washingtons and people who were enslaved.
Persimmons are orange fruits that are typically grown in abandoned fields or woods, and are harvested after the first frost.