Buttons, Bottles, and Bowls: A Look Inside Postbellum Life on Hume Plantation
School Name
South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
Grade Level
12th Grade
Presentation Topic
Sociology
Presentation Type
Mentored
Abstract
The purpose of our research was to identify and catalog the artifacts excavated in 2011 from Hume Plantation, situated on Cat Island near Georgetown, SC. We began determining age of the artifacts through studying the glass, using its bubbles and coloration to indicate what time period they were from. We then moved on to look at buttons and ceramic objects to determine a more precise time period for the artifacts, while also looking at the bigger picture to see into the lives of the people who lived there. From the existence of bubbles and the colors of the glass pieces, we could tell that most artifacts were from the Reconstruction era (1865-1877). We continued with the other artifacts to see what period they would fall into as well. This research is important because it can change the way we think about artifacts and the people who used them. For example, if we assume artifacts were used during the Antebellum era, then we get a different story about the people than we would if we thought they were from the Reconstruction era. The lives of enslaved people were much different from the lives of newly freed people. Our purpose was to look into the artifacts and not just see the date of the artifacts, but to also see the lives of the people who owned and used these items.
Recommended Citation
Dozier, Rachel and Dozier, Hannah, "Buttons, Bottles, and Bowls: A Look Inside Postbellum Life on Hume Plantation" (2022). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 116.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2022/all/116
Location
HSS 210
Start Date
4-2-2022 11:30 AM
Presentation Format
Oral Only
Group Project
Yes
Buttons, Bottles, and Bowls: A Look Inside Postbellum Life on Hume Plantation
HSS 210
The purpose of our research was to identify and catalog the artifacts excavated in 2011 from Hume Plantation, situated on Cat Island near Georgetown, SC. We began determining age of the artifacts through studying the glass, using its bubbles and coloration to indicate what time period they were from. We then moved on to look at buttons and ceramic objects to determine a more precise time period for the artifacts, while also looking at the bigger picture to see into the lives of the people who lived there. From the existence of bubbles and the colors of the glass pieces, we could tell that most artifacts were from the Reconstruction era (1865-1877). We continued with the other artifacts to see what period they would fall into as well. This research is important because it can change the way we think about artifacts and the people who used them. For example, if we assume artifacts were used during the Antebellum era, then we get a different story about the people than we would if we thought they were from the Reconstruction era. The lives of enslaved people were much different from the lives of newly freed people. Our purpose was to look into the artifacts and not just see the date of the artifacts, but to also see the lives of the people who owned and used these items.
