Date of Award

Spring 5-2016

Degree Type

Honors College Thesis

Department

Anthropology and Sociology

First Advisor

Amy L. Young

Advisor Department

Anthropology and Sociology

Abstract

A study of the diversity of ceramics found on a plantation at a slave house in relation to the access to market that slave had could lead to a better understanding of the life and culture of slaves. A high diversity of ceramics at sites might indicate slaves purchased their own ceramics. At a number of sites located in the Natchez District in Mississippi, a study was conducted to identify samples of ceramic sherds to determine if slaves were able to purchase their own dish ware. The results of the study indicated that slaves at Mount Locust Plantation likely had the means to buy or trade for ceramics while the slaves from Courtland Plantation did not. A high diversity of ceramics generally indicated that slaves had the ability to leave the plantation and had access to market.

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