This makes sense. Thanks to you both! There are a few more pieces of disarticulated ivory in the assemblage and many pieces of metal--it is a large assemblage. I thought you might be interested in this 1853 image from nearby Lynchburg depicting an African American man playing an instrument with a bow (if you haven't seen it already):
http://hitchcock.itc.virginia.edu/SlaveTrade/collection/large/NW0165.JPG
best,
Lori
________________________________________
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kate and Silas [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, September 27, 2010 10:19 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Carved bone artifact ID
I think Pat is correct - it is the tip of a bow where the horsehair would attach. Bows are fairly complex artifacts made up of a variety of pieces and materials - keep your eye open for small dis-articulated metal and ivory etc.
Silas Hurry
Historic St. Mary's City, MD
----- Original Message -----
From: "Patrick Martin" < pemartin @ MTU . EDU >
To: HISTARCH @ ASU . EDU
Sent: Monday, September 27, 2010 9:22:56 PM
Subject: Re: Carved bone artifact ID
Looks like the basal end of a violin bow. Dunno the proper term and cannot do a proper search at the moment. Patrick Martin
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 27, 2010, at 9:15 PM, Lori Lee <[log in to unmask] SYR . EDU > wrote:
> Hello all,
> We have uncovered two carved bone artifacts associated with an antebellum (ca. 1830-1864) slave cabin at Poplar Forest plantation. One was broken into mendable fragments that were found inside a subfloor pit inside the cabin and in the plowzone immediately above it. The other partial artifact (which is identical to the more complete artifact, only missing the lower half) was found in a midden on top of a stone chimney base feature a few feet away from the subfloor pit.
>
> These may be sewing related, as the assemblages they are associated with strongly suggest that a seamstress lived in the cabin. Silk production is another possibility.
>
> The more complete artifact is roughly C-shaped. The 'top' segment (which is not grooved) originally had an iron pin inside. The width of this surface, from edge to edge, is 12.7mm across. The segment surrounding the pin is broken, making it difficult to discern the depth of the hole, but the body of the object is not entirely hollow. The 'lower' segment, or 'foot' , is grooved. It has a central, threaded hole which is 28mm deep. The 'foot' is 25.4mm across. The height of the object is 22mm and the width is 5.8mm.
>
> The partial object is 21.9 mm in height and 8.2mm wide.
>
> Pictures of these objects can be seen at:
>
> http :// www . flickr .com/photos/54308999@N05/
>
> Please contact me if you have any suggestions about what these might be or if you have additional questions.
>
> best,
> Lori Lee
>
> Archaeology Lab Supervisor
> Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest
> P O Box 419
> Forest, VA 24551
> lori @ poplarforest .org
> 434-534-8104
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