Hello HistArchers:
 
As a spin-off question, James Gibb noted the presence of a clay tobacco pipe
within an African burial.  I remember at least one clay pipe recovered from
similar slave contexts at Utopia (Williamsburg, VA) a couple of years back
(project directed by Garrett Fesler).  The pipe had been placed carefully in
one of the hands, with the stem extending along the forearm.  Handler has
also reported the recovery of a tobacco pipe from a slave burial in
Barbados.
 
Is this a common practice in African and African-American burials, or am I
just familiar with a few chance occurrences of this?  Also, has the recovery
of tobacco pipes been noted for European colonial burials as well?  As a
historical archaeologist who has "hopped the fence" into bioarchaeology, I
find such things very interesting.
 
Thanks in advance for your responses.
 
Dane Magoon
(Graduate Student)
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Silas Hurry and Kate Dinnel <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, December 15, 1998 9:39 AM
Subject: Re: Colonial Burials
 
 
>We have done extensive research on shroud pins from burials in Historic St.
>Mary's City.   We undertook an analysis using an electron microscope an
>found we could identify fiber types based on "fossil casts".  Contact me
off
>list for more details since the results have not been published yet.
>
>Silas Hurry
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Marie Pokrant <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Monday, December 14, 1998 6:38 PM
>Subject: Colonial Burials
>
>
>>At the First Spanish Presidio Santa Maria de Galve (1698-1722)in
Pensacola,
>>Florida on the Naval Air Station, European burials were encountered under
>>the sparse remains of the church. In the analysis of one burial, a
possible
>>"shroud pin" was recovered.  It appears to be a brass straight pin with
its
>>head wrapped with thread.  The copper salts from the pin preserved the
>>thread.  None of the burial clothes were recovered due to the soil
>>conditions.  Does anyone have information on "shroud pins" and how they
>were
>>used in the colonial period?
>>
>>Thanks in advance!
>>Marie E. Pokrant
>>Graduate Student
>>The University of West Florida
>>Pensacola, FL
>>[log in to unmask]
>>
>